Croatia Approves Nord Stream Suspect's Extradition
A court in Pula, Croatia, approved on September 18 the extradition of Volodymyr Zhuravliov to Germany over the Nord Stream pipeline explosions. He was arrested in Pula in August under a European arrest warrant. German prosecutors identify him as a diving instructor and allege he belonged to a group of six that used a rented yacht, forged documents and intermediaries after leaving Rostock. The September 26, 2022 blasts near Bornholm Island damaged Nord Stream 1 and a branch of Nord Stream 2, which had never entered service. A Polish court rejected Germany's request and released him in 2025; Croatia treated the warrant separately. Serhiy Kuznetsov was detained in Italy in August 2025 and extradited to Germany in November. No core factual disputes appear in the record. Right-leaning outlets reported that his attorney called the ruling biased and politically motivated, that the defense will appeal, and that lawyers said he has denied involvement and plans an indefinite hunger strike. Mykola Katerinchuk announced the appeal. Left-leaning coverage stressed the decision despite the Polish refusal. Any extradition date after the appeal remains unresolved.