Polish court blocks extradition, frees Ukrainian suspect in Nord Stream blasts

A Polish court on Friday blocked the extradition to Germany of a Ukrainian man suspected of involvement in the 2022 attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines and ordered his release, a ruling that was welcomed by Poland’s prime minister.

Volodymyr Zhuravlov, 46, was arrested near Warsaw on September 30 on a German warrant. German prosecutors have described him as a trained diver and allege that he was part of a group that placed explosives on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm three years ago.

The Warsaw District Court rejected his extradition on Friday and ordered his immediate release.

The man’s lawyer, Tymoteusz Paprocki, said ahead of the hearing that “my client doesn’t admit guilt, he didn’t commit any crime against Germany and he doesn’t understand why these charges were made by the German side”. He said he also would argue that no Ukrainian should be charged with any action directed against Russia.

Judge Dariusz Lubowski said as he announced his ruling that the attack on the pipelines should be understood as a military action in a “just war,” and therefore not subject to criminal responsibility on the part of an individual. He also questioned German jurisdiction for various reasons, including the fact that the explosions occurred in international waters.

Poland, whose successive governments have been staunchly anti-Russian, has a history of opposition to the pipelines. Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said it would not be in Poland’s interest to hand over the suspect.

  

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