Ukrainian Zhuravlyov, suspected of the “Nord Stream” blowing up, asks Croatia for political asylum

Ukrainian Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, whom German investigators suspect of the “Nord Stream” pipeline blowing up, is asking Croatia for political asylum.

This was reported to Babel by his lawyer Mykola Katerynchuk.

A district court in Croatia had previously allowed Zhuravlyov to be extradited. His defense is appealing the decision.

"Extradition — despite all legislative norms — is a political decision of the country. When politicians do not influence the court, we believe them. But there is an extrajudicial procedure — political asylum, where the political authorities of Croatia can express their opinion on the situation of a citizen of Ukraine suspected of undermining the Nord Stream," said Katerynchuk.

The lawyer also told Babel that requesting asylum does not automatically stop the extradition process.

The “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 officially indicted Kuznetsov, and he is scheduled to stand trial in Hamburg (Germany), at the end of October.

Another suspect — Volodymyr Zhuravlyov — was detained in Croatia on August 19 and charged 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 gas pipelines. In 2024, Zhuravlyov was tried to be arrested in Poland, but he managed to leave for Ukraine.

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