A Polish court has rejected Germany’s request to extradite a Ukrainian national accused of involvement in the Nord Stream pipeline's sabotage, ruling that the alleged actions may be considered legitimate military conduct in the context of war.

The Warsaw District Court on Friday ordered the release of diving instructor Vladimir Zhuravlyov, who was detained in Poland under a European arrest warrant. German prosecutors had identified him as one of the key suspects in the September 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

In its ruling, the Polish court cited insufficient evidence linking Zhuravlyov to the operation. More notably, Judge Dariusz Lubowski framed the sabotage not as a crime but as a wartime act.

“Blowing up critical infrastructure during a war – during a just, defensive war – is not sabotage but denotes a military action,” Lubowski said. “These actions were not illegal – on the contrary, they were justified, rational and just.”

He also stated that Germany lacked jurisdiction in the case, as the explosions occurred in international waters.

Read more: Trump claims he knows Nord Stream saboteurs - not Russia - drops probe

German investigation ties suspects to yacht, diving gear

German authorities say that Zhuravlyov was part of a small Ukrainian-led team that carried out the Nord Stream sabotage using commercial diving equipment and explosives. Another suspect, former military officer Sergey Kuznetsov, was arrested in Italy in August.

Investigators believe he coordinated the operation, which involved renting a yacht to approach the pipelines.

Berlin maintains that the sabotage was a covert operation tied to Ukraine, though Kiev has not commented.

Moscow, Warsaw react to sabotage narrative

Moscow has rejected the German findings, calling the idea that a small group of Ukrainians sabotaged the pipeline “ridiculous.” Russian President Vladimir Putin has instead suggested that the United States was likely behind the Baltic Sea pipeline attack.

Poland, a strong supporter of Kiev since 2022, has taken a more sympathetic stance. According to local media, the government considered granting asylum to Zhuravlyov, and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski indicated in September that Warsaw was open to the possibility.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who had previously opposed extradition, responded to the ruling on social media, stating: “The case is closed.”