German investigators are facing questions over whether they allowed a suspect in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions to escape arrest.
The Ukrainian man, identified as Volodymyr Z, is believed to be a diving instructor and – until last month – was reportedly resident in Poland.
He is accused of playing a key role in the September 2022 explosions that destroyed three out of four undersea gas pipelines between Russia and Germany.
While German prosecutors declined to comment on the arrest warrant, reportedly issued in June, it was confirmed on Wednesday afternoon by Polish authorities.
“Ultimately, Volodymyr Z was not detained because, at the beginning of July, he left Polish territory, crossing the Polish-Ukrainian border,” said a spokeswoman for Poland’s chief prosecutor. This was possible, she added, because “German authorities... did not include him in the database of wanted persons, which meant that the Polish border guard had no knowledge and no grounds to detain Volodymyr Z.”
[ Images reveal damage to Nord Stream 1 gas pipelineOpens in new window ]
Two other Ukrainians, a man and a woman, are believed to be part of the team behind the explosions.
A speed camera photograph is said to show Volodymyr on Germany’s Baltic Sea island of Rügen in the days before the explosion. A chartered sailing yacht, reportedly used to transport explosives, is also said to have made stops on the island at the same time.
On September 26th, 2022, both sets of the Russian-controlled Nord Stream 1 pipeline, as well as one of the newer Nord Stream 2 pipelines – each 1,200km long – were ruptured by explosions.
Three detonations were recorded at a depth of 70m beneath the Baltic Sea near the Danish island of Bornholm, outside Danish territorial waters but within its exclusive economic zone. Sweden reported a fourth gas leak on September 29th.
Sweden and Denmark closed inconclusive investigations last February, while German inquiries continue.
As questions grow about German prosecutor procedures, Berlin officials reiterated German support for Kyiv in Ukraine’s war against Russia.
The ongoing Nord Stream inquiries “have no bearing on... support of Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s illegal war of aggression, as long as necessary”, said a government spokesman.
At peak capacity, Nord Stream 1 delivered 55 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually. Sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine meant the completed second pipeline never entered service before the explosions.
[ World View: Who blew up Nord Stream 2?Opens in new window ]
The pipelines were criticised by Poland and Ukraine for bypassing their territory, robbing them of transit fees and endangering their own energy supplies.
The Baltic Sea remains a critical area of tension between Russia and its European neighbours. On Wednesday, Poland’s air force said two of its pilots had “intercepted and visually identified” a Russian reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea.
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