Nord Stream: Second suspect arrested over pipeline blasts

Key Points:

• German prosecutors announced the arrest of a second suspect, a Ukrainian national and trained scuba diver, in connection with the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions, with Croatian police detaining him in Pula based on a European arrest warrant.
• The suspect is strongly suspected of involvement in causing the explosions and Germany is seeking his extradition from Croatia; he was previously detained in Poland but released after Germany's extradition request was denied.
• Another Ukrainian suspect was arrested in Italy last year in relation to the same case.
• The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, designed to deliver Russian gas to Europe, were damaged by blasts in September 2022, shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, rendering them inoperable.
• Germany suspects Ukrainian state entities ordered the sabotage to disrupt gas deliveries and cut off revenue to Moscow's military, while Ukraine denies involvement; the incident occurred amid broader tensions over energy supplies between Russia and Europe.