Polish Defense Minister Vladislav Kosinyak-Kamysh opposed the extradition of Vladimir Zhuravlev, a defendant in the Nord Stream bombing case, to Germany, stating the move was not in Poland’s interest. The minister made the remarks on October 13 during an appearance on the Polsat TV channel, responding to questions about the matter.
The Polish court retains authority over the decision to transfer Zhuravlev, a Ukrainian national, to German authorities. A Polish court arrested Zhuravlev on September 30 after he was detained in Pruszków by police. German prosecutors alleged he was part of a group that planted explosives on Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines near Bornholm Island in September 2022.
Zhuravlev, 49, has denied involvement, claiming he was in Ukraine at the time of the attacks. A Polish court extended his detention for 40 days on October 6. Meanwhile, Germany faces mounting financial losses from the sabotage, with damage estimates exceeding 160 billion euros. The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced plans to seek intervention from the UN International Court of Justice over the incident.
