Nord Stream explosions and the Ukrainian trail: why Poland hesitates to extradite a suspect
7 October 2025 22:35
On October 7, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Warsaw is not interested in extraditing Ukrainian Volodymyr Zh. to Germany, who is suspected of involvement in the explosions at the Nord Stream gas pipeline . The final decision, he emphasized, will be made by the court, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports citing Polsat News.
The day before, a court in Warsaw ruled to keep the man in custody for 40 days. He was detained at the end of September, and he claims that he was in Ukraine at the time of the explosion and had nothing to do with the sabotage.
What is the status of the case?
- Germany has issued an international arrest warrant for Vladimir Zh.
- A Polish court is considering his extradition.
- So far, they have limited themselves to temporary arrest, and a decision on extradition is expected in the coming months.
- This is the second arrest of a Ukrainian in the case after a similar case in Italy.
What is known about the suspects
According to German media (Die Zeit, Süddeutsche Zeitung, ARD), law enforcement officers identified seven people who allegedly participated in the bombing:
- four divers, including one Ukrainian record-breaking athlete
- an explosives expert;
- a ship’s skipper;
- and a coordinator.
The sixth suspect is in custody in Italy, and the seventh is a Ukrainian soldier who, according to media reports, died at the front.
What politicians say
Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of Poland:
“No Polish government has ever supported the construction of this gas pipeline. The problem is not that Nord Stream 2 was blown up, but that it was built at all.”
Berlin emphasizes that the explosions were a serious attack on German energy infrastructure, regardless of political motives.
Kyiv has consistently rejected accusations that Ukraine’s intelligence services were involved in the sabotage.
What experts say
Piotr Maciejski, Polish political scientist (for TVN24 ):
“The extradition decision will be a test of the independence of Polish courts. At the same time, the authorities are trying to avoid direct steps that could be perceived as support for the Russian or German position.”
Olena Pavlenko, President of DiXi Group:
“The case of Volodymyr Zh. goes far beyond the judicial one. This is an issue that affects Ukraine’s reputation in the EU, as well as discussions about the future of gas infrastructure on the continent.”
Oleksiy Honcharenko, MP (European Solidarity ):
“Moscow is trying to use the case to discredit Ukraine. The German investigation should be viewed with caution, as the Kremlin is interested in shifting the responsibility.”
What is known about the explosions at Nord Stream
The explosions at Nord Stream occurred in September 2022 near the Danish island of Bornholm. Three of the four lines of the pipeline, which were built to transport Russian gas to Europe, were destroyed. It was recognized as impossible to restore the pipeline.
Investigations are ongoing in Germany, Sweden, and Denmark. russia was not allowed to participate. Moscow traditionally blames the United States and its allies, but they deny any involvement.
Why it matters
The case of the Ukrainian in Poland can be seen as a geopolitical marker: not only the fate of Volodymyr Zh. depends on the court’s decision, but also relations within the EU, where there is an ongoing discussion about who is to blame for the sabotage and how to distribute responsibility.
