A Croatian court has approved the extradition to Germany of Ukrainian national Vladimir Z., who is suspected of involvement in the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
The ruling remains subject to appeal, leaving the timing and final outcome of the extradition uncertain.
Vladimir Z. was arrested in August in the Croatian coastal city of Pula on a European arrest warrant and has denied involvement, according to his lawyers.
The County Court in Pula confirmed on Thursday that it had issued a ruling but said it could not disclose details until the parties had decided whether to appeal.
Lawyers for Vladimir Z. said an appeal would be filed, with one describing the decision as biased and political.
German prosecutors identify Vladimir Z. as a trained scuba diver who was allegedly part of a group that planted explosives on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm.
The explosions on September 26, 2022, damaged three of the four pipelines built to transport Russian natural gas to Germany beneath the Baltic Sea.
German courts consider the case within their jurisdiction because the pipelines terminate in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and authorities say the damage affected Germany’s energy security and internal safety.
German prosecutors have also pursued Serhii K., a former Ukrainian army officer accused of orchestrating the blasts while acting on behalf of Ukrainian state entities.
He was arrested in Italy in August 2025, transferred to Germany in November and charged in July.
Serhii K. has denied involvement and is due to face trial at the Hamburg Higher Regional Court on October 14, with proceedings potentially continuing through February 2027.
German investigators believe a Ukrainian state agency ordered the attack to deprive Russia of revenue used to finance its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said his government knew nothing about any plan to destroy the pipelines.
German government officials have responded to questions about the politically sensitive investigation by emphasizing the independence of the judiciary.