Suspect in Nord Stream Pipeline Explosions Arrested on Hollywood Film Set in Croatia

A Ukrainian national suspected by German prosecutors of involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline explosions has been arrested in Croatia. Volodymyr Zhuravlov, identified in German documents as 'Vladimir Z.,' was apprehended in the city of Pula based on a European Arrest Warrant. German authorities accuse him of causing explosions, sabotage, and destruction of infrastructure.

Ironically, Zhuravlov was arrested while working on the set of 'Snake Island,' a political thriller filmed in Croatia and inspired by the Nord Stream incident. The film, featuring Hollywood stars Sean Penn and Adrien Brody, began shooting in early August. Reports suggest the movie focuses on a clandestine group of Ukrainian divers undertaking a dangerous mission amid rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

This is not Zhuravlov's first encounter with authorities regarding the Nord Stream case. He was initially arrested in Poland in late September 2025. However, in October 2025, the District Court in Warsaw refused his extradition to Germany, revoking his arrest warrant and ordering his immediate release. His lawyer in the Polish proceedings confirmed that the man arrested in Croatia is indeed his client.

The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, designed to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany, suffered damage to three of their four lines on September 26, 2022. The explosions occurred at a depth of approximately 80 meters on the Baltic Sea floor, more than seven months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.