Polish Court Denies Extradition of Ukrainian Suspect in Nord Stream Case

A Polish court has declined Germany's request to extradite Ukrainian national Volodymyr Zhuravlov, who is suspected of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions. The Warsaw District Court ruled that the alleged act did not constitute a basis for extradition, leading to Zhuravlov's immediate release.

Judge Dariusz Lubowski emphasized that the court's decision was based on the context of Ukraine's defensive actions against Russian aggression. He stated that if Ukraine and its special forces organized a mission to destroy enemy pipelines, such actions were "justified, rational, and just."

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk supported the court's ruling, commenting that the suspect's release was appropriate and that the case was closed.

Zhuravlov, a former diving instructor, was detained in Poland on September 30 under a European arrest warrant issued by Germany. German authorities allege that he was part of a group that placed explosives on the Nord Stream pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm in September 2022.

The Nord Stream pipelines, which transported Russian gas to Europe, were severely damaged by explosions in September 2022, leading to significant disruptions in energy supplies. The incident has been the subject of ongoing international investigations.

This decision follows a similar ruling by Italy's top court, which recently blocked the extradition of another Ukrainian suspect to Germany in connection with the same case.