A Ukrainian man was taken into custody in the Croatian town of Pula on Wednesday in connection with the September 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines. The pipelines, which transported Russian natural gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, were rendered largely inoperable following a series of underwater blasts.

German prosecutors, who have been leading the investigation into the sabotage, have identified the man as a trained scuba diver. According to reports from the investigation, authorities allege the individual played a direct role in the operation to damage the infrastructure. The German federal court in Karlsruhe is now moving to secure the man's extradition from Croatia to stand trial. While the investigation has been ongoing for nearly two years, this arrest marks a significant development in identifying those responsible for the destruction of the energy infrastructure, an event that occurred months after the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.