Ukrainian Zhuravlev, suspected of blowing up "Nord Stream" pipelines, was detained while filming movie about sabotage, - media
Volodymyr Zhuravlev, a Ukrainian national whom German investigators suspect of involvement in the sabotage of "Nord Stream", was arrested in Croatia on 19 August — whilst filming a Hollywood film about this act of sabotage.
The German publication LTO reports on this, according to Censor.NET.
What is the film about?
Filming of the political thriller *Snake Island* began in Croatia in early August. According to Croatian media, the film focuses specifically on the sabotage of the *Nord Stream* gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. The plot centres on a group of Ukrainian divers who embark on a risky underwater operation against the backdrop of the Russian-Ukrainian war; according to the film’s creators, it is this very team that is involved in the sabotage of the gas pipelines.
The film’s cast includes Hollywood stars Sean Penn and Adrien Brody, whilst the director is Doug Liman, best known for the films *The Bourne Identity* and *Mr & Mrs Smith*.
Circumstances of the arrest
The film crew initially worked in Zagreb, before moving on to Pula — presumably to film the underwater scenes. It was there, according to LTO, that the second Ukrainian suspect — Volodymyr Zhuravlev — was arrested.
Previous attempts to make an arrest
This is now the third attempt by German investigators to detain the Ukrainian national. In 2024, they tried to arrest him in Poland, but he managed to flee to Ukraine. In the autumn of 2025, the Polish police did eventually detain Zhuravlev, but the court then refused to extradite him to Germany.
The sabotage of the ‘Nord Stream’ pipelines
- On 26 September 2022, three explosions occurred on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, which run along the seabed of the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, causing massive gas leaks.
- The governments of the US, the UK and the EU have stated that this was a deliberate act of sabotage.
- In early February 2024, Sweden closed its investigation into the bombing of the Nord Stream pipeline due to a lack of jurisdiction.
- Subsequently, Germany issued arrest warrants for all those suspected of carrying out acts of sabotage on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022. All of them are Ukrainian nationals.
- The Bologna Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of the extradition to Germany of the Ukrainian national Serhii Kuznetsov.
- n 1 October, the Warsaw District Court ruled that the Ukrainian national Volodymyr Zh., whom the German authorities suspect of involvement in the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022, should be remanded in custody for seven days.
- On 6 October, the Warsaw Regional Court extended by 40 days the detention of the Ukrainian national Volodymyr Zh.
- The Court of Appeal in Bologna upheld the decision to extradite to Germany Ukrainian national Serhii Kuznetsov, who is suspected of involvement in the bombing of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022.
- Subsequently, the Italian Constitutional Court authorised the extradition of Ukrainian citizen Serhii Kuznetsov to Germany.
- On 27 November, Italy extradited the Ukrainian Serhii Kuznetsov to Germany.
- On 28 November, Kuznetsov was taken into custody in Germany.
- According to media reports, Kuznetsov served in the Special Operations Forces.
- On 1 July 2026, the German Attorney General brought formal charges for the first time against Ukrainian national Serhii Kuznetsov, who is suspected of involvement in the sabotage of the ‘Nord Stream 1’ and ‘Nord Stream 2’ gas pipelines 26 September 2022.
