Polish Court Rules Against Extradition of Ukrainian Nord Stream Suspect

Sat Oct 18 2025 23:49:01 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a landmark decision, a Polish judge has denied Germany's extradition request for Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, a suspect in the Nord Stream pipeline blasts, citing Ukraine's right to defend itself amidst the ongoing war.

Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, a Ukrainian accused of involvement in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions, has been released by a Polish court, which ruled against his extradition to Germany. The judge stated that if Ukraine was involved in the sabotage, it could be seen as a justified act of defense against Russian aggression. The case has sparked discussions on legal jurisdiction and political implications, emphasizing the complex nature of international law in wartime.

A Polish judge has refused to extradite a Ukrainian citizen – suspected by Germany of sabotaging the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022 – arguing that if Ukraine was responsible for the attack, then it was a 'just' act.

Volodymyr Zhuravlyov, who was brought to Warsaw District Court in handcuffs, was detained in Poland last month on a European arrest warrant. Judge Dariusz Lubowski ordered his release, after a ruling that was met with a ripple of surprise from the crowd in court and a smile from the man in the dock.

Mr Zhuravlyov, along with others, is suspected of planting explosives deep beneath the Baltic Sea on the pipelines leading from Russia to Germany.

Blame for the blasts, which crippled a long-controversial energy supply line from Russia to Germany, initially focused on Moscow until signs of Ukrainian involvement began to emerge. Officials in Kyiv have repeatedly denied any role.

Extradition cases within the EU are usually quick and straightforward, but the Nord Stream case is proving to be very different. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose government is a key ally of war-torn Ukraine, immediately posted on X that the ruling was right. 'Case closed,' he wrote.

Inside the giant district courthouse in Warsaw, Judge Lubowski announced his decision to the suspect, his family and legal team – and a large cluster of TV cameras. In a long and passionate speech, he said he was considering only the request to send Mr Zhuravlyov to Germany, not the substance of the case itself.

Judge Lubowski described Russia's invasion as 'a bloody and genocidal attack' and argued that Ukraine had the legal right to defend itself, stating that if Ukraine's special forces had organized a mission to destroy enemy pipelines, such actions were not unlawful but justifiable.

He insisted that his ruling was a legal one, and not emotional or political. He also questioned whether Germany had jurisdiction to bring its case, as the explosions occurred in international waters on pipelines with majority Russian state ownership.

Mr Zhuravlyov will also receive compensation from the Polish state, and his wife expressed relief and gratitude for the judge's understanding of their situation. They plan to remain in Poland, where they have lived since the onset of the war in Ukraine.