Germany slammed for 'unbelievable' prosecution of Ukrainians over Putin gas pipe bombing

Tymoteusz Paprocki, the lawyer representing one of the main suspects in the Nord Stream pipeline bombing, has strongly defended his client, insisting on his innocence and calling for his immediate release from prison.

Speaking to the Express, Paprocki argued that his client, a Ukrainian national identified as “Volodymyr Z”, would not receive a fair trial in Germany and could face up to 15 years in prison if extradited.

Volodymyr Z was arrested in Poland after German prosecutors signaled their intention to seek his extradition in connection with the September 26, 2022 underwater explosions that destroyed three of the four Nord Stream pipelines. These pipelines, built by Russian energy giant Gazprom, were designed to deliver up to 110 billion cubic meters of gas per year to Germany.

Paprocki criticized Germany’s legal pursuit, calling it “unbelievable” given that Ukraine is under attack from Russia and that Gazprom, the pipeline’s operator, is a Russian state-owned company helping to finance Moscow’s war efforts.

“We are talking about war, about Ukrainian people being killed daily by Russian drones and soldiers. Nord Stream is Russian property, controlled by the Kremlin and funding the war. I can’t imagine a situation where my client or any Ukrainian citizen is prosecuted in Germany over this,” Paprocki said.

The suspect has lived in Poland near Warsaw for three years with his wife and two children, running a small construction business specializing in ventilation systems. He denies any involvement in the bombings, and his lawyer insists “he did nothing wrong against the Germans.”

Paprocki expressed confidence in stopping the extradition through the Polish justice system, adding that the case appears to be influenced by German-Russian business interests. In 2021, a year before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Germany’s trade with Russia reached €60 billion, covering everything from energy to automobiles.

If Germany continues to press for extradition, Paprocki warned it would signal that “business interests are being placed above human values and compassion.” Instead, he urged Berlin to focus on applying greater pressure on Moscow to end the war rather than “accusing the Ukrainian people.”