The Ukrainian Embassy in Poland is providing consultation to detained Ukrainian citizen Volodymyr Zh., who is accused of involvement in the explosion on the ‘Nord Stream 2’ gas pipeline. According to the Ukrainian ambassador to Poland, Vasyl Bodnar, Kyiv is not interfering in the investigation, and the decision regarding the suspect’s future will be made by the Polish court.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Legal Protection and the Position of Ukrainian Diplomacy
Vasyl Bodnar emphasized that Ukrainian diplomats are ensuring support for the detained citizen, including advising him on legal defense options. The ambassador noted that the main task is to uphold the principles of the rule of law, and state interference in the judicial process is excluded.
“It is in our interest to defend our citizen, and everything depends on the rule of law. We do not interfere; this is a judicial matter.”
Furthermore, the diplomat stressed: “As an ambassador, I will defend every citizen of Ukraine.”
Details of the Case and International Context
On the eve of this situation, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that the Polish authorities do not intend to extradite Volodymyr Zh. to Germany, which is seeking his extradition. The court’s decision in Warsaw involves holding the Ukrainian in custody for 40 days.
It is known that Volodymyr Zh. was detained at the end of September. He denies any involvement in the explosion and claims he was in Ukraine at the time of the incident. This is the second case of a Ukrainian citizen being arrested in Europe on suspicion of a gas pipeline explosion; a similar arrest previously occurred in Italy.
According to German media, law enforcement in Germany has identified all members of the group suspected of the sabotage on the ‘Nord Streams’. A total of seven individuals have been identified, including four divers, one of whom is a Ukrainian record-holder in deep-sea diving, an explosives expert, a skipper, and a coordinator. Germany has issued six arrest warrants. The seventh suspect, according to media reports, is a Ukrainian serviceman who was training in Germany and is believed to have died on the front lines.
As a result of the explosions in September 2022 near the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea, three of the four strands of the ‘Nord Stream 1’ and ‘Nord Stream 2’ pipelines were severely damaged. These pipelines were intended for transporting Russian gas to Western Europe, but following the explosions, they are beyond repair. Investigations conducted by Sweden, Denmark, and Germany have confirmed that the explosions were deliberate, but those responsible have yet to be identified.
Russia is not participating in the international investigation, shifting the blame onto the USA and its allies, who, in turn, deny these accusations. Some Western media report possible involvement of individuals connected to Ukrainian intelligence services in organizing the explosions, but Kyiv rejects these allegations.
The German prosecutor’s office emphasized that the explosions constituted a serious attack on the country’s energy infrastructure, regardless of the political motives of the organizers. In 2025, the ‘Nord Stream’ pipelines are under EU sanctions, as the European Union views them as a tool of political pressure from Moscow on Europe.