Poland hails court block on Nord Stream sabotage suspect's extradition to Germany
Warsaw prosecutors will not appeal a court's refusal to extradite a 49-year-old Ukrainian man, Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, to Germany over suspicions of involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, RMF FM reported.
Journalists asked Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek what he thought of the Warsaw District Court's decision to deny extradition.
"We are very pleased with the independent court's ruling," Żurek replied, adding that Poland had fulfilled all formalities and that the court's decision was independent.
He said the ruling was based on legal considerations and the political context of the war. He noted that the court recognized Ukraine's right to self-defense, including actions against Russia's economic infrastructure.
As the minister emphasized, "We cannot punish someone who is defending their homeland in various ways." Ukraine is fighting not only to protect its borders but also for the security of all of Europe, he added.
Żurek also said Poland had conducted its own investigation into the pipeline sabotage, but no charges were filed against the detainee because evidence of guilt was never found.
The Polish court on October 17 refused to extradite Zhuravlyov, whom German authorities suspect in the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. The court also canceled his pre-trial detention.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said he respects the Polish court's decision not to hand over the Ukrainian to Berlin.
More on the Nord Stream sabotage
The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported that the operation to sabotage the Nord Stream pipelines in 2022 was planned by several high-ranking Ukrainian military officials and businessmen. It was carried out using an ordinary pleasure yacht and publicly available sea floor maps.
According to the paper, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially approved the plan. But the following month, Dutch military intelligence agency MIVD learned of the operation and warned the CIA, which immediately informed Germany.
The CIA also warned Zelenskyy's office to halt the operation, so Zelenskyy allegedly ordered army chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi to stop it. But the general, according to the Journal, ignored the order.
On August 21, Germany's Federal Prosecutor's Office announced the arrest in Italy of Ukrainian citizen Serhiy Kuznietsov — one of the suspects in the 2022 Nord Stream sabotage.
He faces charges including joint commission of an explosion using explosives, unconstitutional sabotage and destruction of facilities. An Italian court initially ruled to extradite him to Germany but later canceled the decision.
The suspect is allegedly a former employee of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) and a retired Ukrainian Armed Forces captain. He was detained while vacationing with his family in Italy. He reportedly coordinated a team of seven people, including four civilian divers.
One of them, Vsevolod K., has since died fighting on the front lines against the Russians. The man previously took part in military exercises in Bavaria. Arrest warrants have also been issued for the other suspects.
