Media: Ukrainian Zhuravlyov, suspected of blowing up “Nord Stream”, was detained while filming a film about this terrorist attack in Croatia

Ukrainian Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, whom German investigators suspect of blowing up of “Nord Stream”, was detained today while filming a film about this sabotage in Croatia.

This is reported by the German publication LTO.

In early August, filming of the political thriller "Snake Island" began in Croatia. Croatian media reported that the film is dedicated to sabotage of the “Nord Stream” gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

The story centers on a secret team of Ukrainian divers who embark on a dangerous underwater mission amid the escalating war between Russia and Ukraine. According to the filmʼs synopsis, this team is involved in the sabotage of gas pipelines.

The film stars Hollywood stars Sean Penn and Adrien Brody, and is directed by Doug Liman, known for the films The Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

The film crew initially worked in Zagreb, and then moved to Pula, presumably to film underwater scenes. It was there that Volodymyr Zhuravlyov was detained, according to the LTO.

This is the third attempt by German investigators to detain the Ukrainian. In 2024, they tried to arrest him in Poland, but he managed to leave for Ukraine. And in the fall of 2025, the Polish police did detain Zhuravlyov, but then the court refused to extradite him to Germany.

On August 19, 2026, the German prosecutorʼs office detained a Ukrainian in Croatia and charged him with conspiracy to commit an explosion, unconstitutional sabotage, and destruction of structures.

According to the German investigation, he was one of the divers who planted explosives on the “Nord Stream 1” and “Nord Stream 2” gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea in 2022. After being extradited from Croatia, Zhuravlyov is to be brought to the Federal Court of Germany.

“Nord Stream” explosions

On September 26, 2022, three explosions occurred on the “Nord Stream 1” and “Nord Stream 2” pipelines, which run along the bottom of the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, causing massive gas leaks. Only one of the four strands of the pipeline remained intact.

On August 26, 2025, German investigators issued arrest warrants for six Ukrainians suspected of involvement in the bombing. The main suspect in the case is Ukrainian Serhiy Kuznetsov, believed to be the commander of the group that blew up the gas pipelines. He denies the charges.

In August 2025, Kuznetsov was detained in Italy, and in November he was extradited to Germany and arrested there. On July 1, 2026, German prosecutors formally indicted Kuznetsov, and he is scheduled to stand trial in Hamburg, Germany, at the end of October.

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