Kathmandu— Croatian authorities have arrested Ukrainian citizen Volodymyr Zhuravlev, a professional scuba diver, in connection with the September 2022 bombings of the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia and Germany. The arrest occurred while Zhuravlev was working as a consultant on the set of 'Snake Island,' an upcoming Hollywood film recreating the explosions he is accused of helping to carry out. German authorities allege Zhuravlev was involved in the sabotage, but he maintains his innocence; investigations are ongoing despite Denmark and Sweden closing their own inquiries.

Who Is Volodymyr Zhuravlev?

Volodymyr Zhuravlev is a Ukrainian citizen with professional experience as a scuba diver and diving instructor, reportedly affiliated with a diving school in Kyiv. He has been identified in German prosecution filings as Vladimir Z., using the initial-only convention to protect his privacy. Authorities believe he is one of the suspects involved in the Nord Stream pipeline bombing. In 2024, Zhuravlev successfully evaded arrest in Poland, returning to Ukraine; a Polish court declined to enforce a European arrest warrant issued by Germany, suggesting the destruction could be considered a justified act of self-defense during wartime.

The Nord Stream Pipeline Explosions

On September 26, 2022, explosions damaged both the existing Nord Stream 1 and the newly constructed Nord Stream 2 pipelines running under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany. The $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline, owned by Gazprom, had been intended to double gas capacity but became a point of geopolitical contention, potentially bypassing Ukraine and depriving it of transit fees. While no state has claimed responsibility for the blasts, which occurred in international waters within Danish and Swedish economic zones, Germany continues to investigate. Prosecutors have already charged Serhii K., a former Ukrainian army officer, alleging he acted on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence.

Hollywood's 'Snake Island' Connection

At the time of his arrest, Zhuravlev was reportedly working as a consultant on ‘Snake Island,’ a Hollywood film being shot in Croatia. The movie is directed by Doug Liman, known for films like ‘The Bourne Identity’ and stars Sean Penn and Adrien Brody. Brody has been seen at the filming location, where Zhuravlev was spotted prior to his arrest. The film aims to dramatize the events surrounding the Nord Stream pipeline explosions.

Extradition Battle Looms

Zhuravlev's lawyers are preparing to fight his extradition to Germany. Tymoteusz Paprocki, his Polish defense lawyer, argued that a Croatian court hearing the case would essentially be revisiting a decision already made by Poland, another EU member state. The Guardian reported on Thursday that this could complicate the legal proceedings.

Zhuravlev’s arrest marks a new development in the ongoing investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline bombings, and his extradition battle will likely draw further scrutiny to the case.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.