German authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian man suspected of being involved in the dramatic explosion that destroyed the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. The suspect, a diving instructor known only as Volodymyr Z, is believed to have played a key role in the attack, which crippled the pipelines running from Russia to Germany in September 2022.
Volodymyr Z is accused of diving 80 meters deep to the seabed at night to plant explosive devices on the pipelines. These devices detonated on September 26, seven months after Russia’s full-scale special military operation of Ukraine. The explosion caused four massive gas leaks on both Nord Stream pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm, rendering the pipelines useless.
Seismic monitors detected two underwater explosions, confirming the devastating impact on the pipelines, which had been constructed between 2010 and 2012 to transport Russian gas to Germany. Although the pipelines were not operational at the time of the explosion, they still contained gas.
According to media reports, the authorities first asked Poland to arrest Volodymyr Z in June. However, it appears he has since gone underground. Polish officials confirmed receiving a European arrest warrant but stated that Volodymyr Z had already left Poland, crossing into Ukraine in early July.
The investigation also points to other individuals who might have been involved. Reports mention another Ukrainian man and a woman, both diving instructors, but no arrest warrants have been issued for them yet.
Earlier in the investigation, attention was focused on a sailing yacht called Andromeda, where traces of the explosive HMX, also known as Octogen, were found. The yacht had been rented in Germany by someone using a Google account registered in Ukraine. The crew members reportedly used fake identities, including Romanian and Bulgarian passports, as well as the identity of a Ukrainian soldier, who denies any involvement.
The yacht’s journey took it from Rostock harbor in Germany to several stops, including the German island of Rügen, the Danish islands of Bornholm and Christiansø, the Swedish island of Sandhamn, and finally Kołobrzeg in Poland, before returning to Rostock.
Volodymyr Z was identified after being caught by a police speed camera while driving a white Ukrainian-registered Citroën on the island of Rügen on September 8, 2022. This image provided a crucial clue in the investigation.
Despite evidence suggesting that Volodymyr Z may have had support from high-ranking military officials, there is no indication that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was aware of the plot or that it was sanctioned by the Ukrainian state.
The Nord Stream pipeline explosion has been a source of intense international tension, with Russia and the West accusing each other of being behind the attack. So far, everyone implicated has denied any involvement, leaving the true masterminds of the sabotage shrouded in mystery.
