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Ukrainian suspect arrested in Croatia over Nord Stream
Germany will seek extradition of a Ukrainian diver accused in the Nord Stream pipeline case.
What happened
German prosecutors announced the arrest in Pula of a Ukrainian trained diver on a European warrant. They allege he joined a group that placed explosives on Nord Stream pipelines near Bornholm in September. Germany plans to request his extradition. The pipelines connected Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea.
Numbers
- 3 of 4Nord Stream pipelines were damaged — In the September explosions
- 26 September 2022Explosions damaged the pipelines — Near the island of Bornholm
- 80 metresPipeline depth near Bornholm — Below the Baltic Sea
Questions
- What did Nord Stream carry?
- The network was built to carry Russian natural gas to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea, linking the countries’ energy systems.
- Why is Germany leading the case?
- A German court issued the European warrant, and prosecutors allege the group used a yacht rented in Germany with false documents.
- Why did damage not cut supplies?
- The pipelines were not operating at the time; Russia had already stopped deliveries through the first Nord Stream line before the explosions.
- Where would the case proceed?
- If transferred, the suspect would go to Germany, where an earlier Ukrainian suspect has already been charged and awaits trial.
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The catch
The arrest is not a finding of guilt, and the coverage does not resolve who ordered the operation.
Prosecutors’ account remains untested in court.