Poland issues new statement on Ukrainian suspect in Nord Stream blasts
Illustrative photo: Poland made a new statement about a Ukrainian suspected of involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline explosions (Getty Images)
Polish Member of the European Parliament Michał Dworczyk said that the country’s special services should not have detained Ukrainian national Volodymyr Z., who is suspected of involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline explosions, reports RMF 24.
The MEP emphasized that the detention of Volodymyr Z. now creates a diplomatic problem for Poland.
“Volodymyr Z. should not have been detained by the Polish services. We have a diplomatic problem. We have put ourselves in a very uncomfortable situation, where we must decide whether to openly violate European rules in the name of higher interests, or to extradite him and act against Poland’s interests,” Dworczyk said.
He also believes that Volodymyr Z. should not be extradited to Germany.
“Our national reason of state is not to extradite him, as this only risks violating international law,” he added.
What the Ukrainian is suspected of
On September 26, 2022, three explosions occurred on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, which run along the Baltic Sea floor from Russia to Germany, causing large-scale gas leaks. The governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union classified these incidents as deliberate sabotage.
According to the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Ukrainian national Volodymyr Z. was a diver and was allegedly part of a group that in September 2022 rented a sailing yacht and planted explosives on the pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm.
German investigators accuse him of conspiracy to organize an explosion and anti-constitutional sabotage.
On October 1, the Warsaw District Court arrested Volodymyr Z. for seven days.
Meanwhile, Poland’s Minister-Coordinator of Special Services Tomasz Siemoniak stated that there are no grounds for "hasty actions” regarding extradition.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also said that handing over the Ukrainian to Germany would not be in the country’s interests.
Ukraine is ready to defend the rights of its citizens but is not interfering in the judicial process concerning Volodymyr Z., who was detained in Poland.
