Polish Court Blocks Extradition, Frees Ukrainian Suspect in Nord Stream Pipeline Blasts

Published: October 17, 2025, 22:10 EDT

A Polish court has refused to extradite a Ukrainian man accused of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions, ruling that the alleged act could be seen as part of a “just war” against Russia. The decision drew praise from Poland’s prime minister and added new tension to a politically charged investigation that has divided Europe since the blasts.

Court Cites “Just War” in Rejecting German Request

The Warsaw District Court on Friday ordered the release of 46-year-old Volodymyr Zhuravlov, who was arrested near Warsaw on September 30 under a German extradition warrant. German prosecutors allege Zhuravlov, a trained diver, took part in an operation to plant explosives on the Nord Stream pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm.

Judge Dariusz Lubowski, announcing the decision, argued that the alleged attack should be viewed as a military act in a “just war” rather than a crime. He also questioned whether German authorities had proper jurisdiction, noting that the explosions occurred in international waters rather than German territory.

The court’s ruling effectively ends Germany’s effort to bring Zhuravlov to trial. “My client doesn’t admit guilt, he didn’t commit any crime against Germany, and he doesn’t understand why these charges were made,” said Zhuravlov’s lawyer, Tymoteusz Paprocki, before the hearing. He added that “no Ukrainian should be charged with any action directed against Russia.”

Polish Government Welcomes the Decision

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk swiftly backed the court’s decision, writing on X (formerly Twitter) that the extradition was “rightly rejected” and declaring, “The case is closed.”

Poland has long opposed the Nord Stream projects, viewing them as tools of Russian geopolitical influence in Europe. Successive Polish governments have argued that the pipelines undermined regional energy security by increasing European dependence on Russian gas.

Tusk reiterated that position earlier this month, saying, “The problem of Europe, of Ukraine, of Lithuania and Poland is not that Nord Stream 2 was blown up, but that it was built.” He added, “The only people who should be ashamed about Nord Stream 2 are those who decided to build it.”

Explosions That Redefined Europe’s Energy Politics

The undersea explosions on September 26, 2022, severely damaged both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, which carried Russian natural gas to Germany through the Baltic Sea. The blasts intensified tensions across Europe as countries sought to cut their reliance on Russian energy following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Nord Stream 1, inaugurated in 2011, had already halted operations a month before the blasts, when Russia stopped gas flows. Nord Stream 2 never entered service—its certification process was suspended by Germany in February 2022, just days before Russian forces crossed into Ukraine.

At the time, many Central and Eastern European countries, along with the United States, opposed Nord Stream 2, warning it would give the Kremlin dangerous leverage over Europe’s energy markets. The explosions reinforced those concerns and fueled competing theories over who was responsible.

Germany’s Broader Investigation Faces Setbacks

German federal prosecutors continue to pursue several suspects in connection with the Nord Stream attacks. Zhuravlov is one of two Ukrainians sought by Germany.

Another suspect—alleged to have coordinated the operation—was arrested in Italy in August. However, Italy’s top court this week annulled a lower court’s decision to approve his extradition to Germany, sending the case back for review by a new judicial panel.

The German government has declined to comment on either case, saying the investigations remain under prosecutorial authority. Neither German federal prosecutors nor the government issued statements on Friday’s Polish ruling.

Zhuravlov’s Family Maintains His Innocence

Polish prosecutors said Zhuravlov had been living in Poland with his wife and children at the time of his arrest. His wife told Polish media that he was at home during the 2022 explosions and had no involvement in any sabotage plot.

Following the ruling, Zhuravlov was immediately released from custody. His lawyer described the decision as “a triumph of common sense and justice.”

The case underscores ongoing tensions between European allies over the Nord Stream investigation. While Germany has sought accountability through legal channels, Poland’s ruling highlights the political and moral complexities surrounding an incident still shrouded in mystery three years later.