---
title: "Second Ukrainian detained in Croatia in connection with the sabotage of the 'Nord Stream' pipelines: who is Vladimir Z. and why was he not released in Poland"
description: "A second Ukrainian citizen has been detained in Croatia in connection with the sabotage of the 'Nord Stream' pipelines. The German prosecutor's office refers to him as 'Vladimir Z.', likely Vladimir Zhuravlev, who was previously detained in Poland but released by the court."
date: 2026-08-19T11:20:01.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/second-ukrainian-detained-in-croatia-nord-stream-case-vladimir-z
tags: [northern-stream, ukraine, germany, croatia, sabotage, vladimir-zhuravlev]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Second Ukrainian detained in Croatia in connection with the sabotage of the 'Nord Stream' pipelines: who is Vladimir Z. and why was he not released in Poland

![Suspect in handcuffs arrested in connection with the sabotage of the 'Nord Stream' pipelines, the second Ukrainian detained in Croatia](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/19/ukrainian-detained-in-croatia-northern-stream-case-vladimir-z/ukrainian-detained-in-croatia-northern-stream-case-vladimir-z-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- Second Ukrainian detained in Croatia in connection with the sabotage of the 'Nord Stream' pipelines
- German prosecutor's office refers to him as 'Vladimir Z.', likely Vladimir Zhuravlev
- Previously, a Polish court lifted his arrest, but now he has been detained again
- Extradition to Germany is expected for trial at the Federal Court of Justice

### New stage of international investigation: arrest in Pula

August 19, 2026, became a key date in the case of the sabotage of the 'Nord Stream' and 'Nord Stream 2' gas pipelines. In the Croatian city of Pula, local law enforcement officers, coordinated by the Police Headquarters in Zagreb, detained a Ukrainian citizen, whom the German Federal Prosecutor's Office identifies as 'Vladimir Z.'. This is the second detainee in this case after Sergei Kuznetsov, who has been in custody in Germany since the summer of 2025. The arrest was made based on a warrant issued by German authorities back in June 2024.

The Federal Prosecutor's Office of Germany states there are 'significant suspicions' of Vladimir Z.'s involvement in organizing the explosion, sabotage, and damage to critical infrastructure. According to the investigation, he was part of a Ukrainian sabotage group that allegedly planted explosives under the branches of the Russian gas pipeline. After extradition from Croatia, the suspect will appear before a judge of the Federal Court of Justice of Germany.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Sabotage of 'Nord Stream': another Ukrainian detained in Croatia](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/pidriv-pivnichnih-potokiv-horvatiyi-zatrimali-1787138209.html) - Подтверждает задержание в Пуле, ссылается на заявление немецкой прокуратуры, упоминает имя «Vladimir Z.»
- [Ukrainian suspected of sabotaging 'Nord Stream' detained in Croatia](https://rapsinews.ru/international_news/20260819/312118795.html) - Подтверждает факт задержания, указывает на координацию с полицией Загреба
- [Another Ukrainian detained in Croatia in connection with the sabotage of 'Nord Stream'](https://www.pravda.com.ua/rus/news/2026/08/19/8049300/) - Подтверждает детали задержания и ссылается на немецкую прокуратуру
- [N-tv: Ukrainian accused of sabotaging 'Nord Stream' confessed to working for the SBU](https://tass.ru/proisshestviya/27938453) - Упоминает признание в работе на СБУ — не подтверждено другими источниками, требует проверки

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: Who exactly was detained in Croatia?
**A:** A Ukrainian citizen was detained, whom the German prosecutor's office calls 'Vladimir Z.'. It is likely Vladimir Zhuravlev, who was previously detained in Poland.

### Q: Why was he not released in Poland?
**A:** The Polish court lifted the arrest in 2025, but now he has been detained again in Croatia based on a new German warrant.

### Q: What happens next?
**A:** After extradition to Germany, he will appear before a judge of the Federal Court of Justice.

### Q: Are there other suspects?
**A:** Yes, Sergei Kuznetsov has been in custody in Germany since the summer of 2025.