gas pipelines
Reports: Speculations about perpetrators of the Nord Stream explosion
The Nord Stream 1 leak in the Baltic Sea photographed from a Swedish Coast Guard aircraft in September 2022. Photo
© Swedish Coast Guard/dpa
In the fall of 2022, the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines were damaged by multiple explosions. There was quick talk of an act of sabotage, but it is still unclear who was behind it. Or not?
In the case of the explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines at the end of September 2022, there are new speculations about the perpetrators, according to media reports. According to research by ARD, SWR and “Zeit”, the tracks apparently lead in the direction of Ukraine.
Authorities in Germany, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and the USA were involved in the investigation, reported “Zeit” online on Tuesday evening. From the German side, the federal government and the responsible federal prosecutor did not comment specifically on the reports when asked.
“The Federal Public Prosecutor (GBA) has been investigating the matter since the beginning of October 2022,” said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit. “Most recently, Sweden, Denmark and Germany informed the United Nations Security Council that the investigations are ongoing and that there are still no results,” he said. According to a spokeswoman, the GBA did not want to comment.
From the US side, the communications director of the US government’s National Security Council, John Kirby, referred to the ongoing investigations in Germany and Scandinavia. “We believe it was an act of sabotage,” he said. First, the investigation must be terminated. Only then can we talk about how to proceed. Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that he had no further comments. Stoltenberg said they knew it was an attack, a sabotage. It would be wrong to speculate about who is behind this before the investigation is complete.
Pro-Ukrainian group responsible?
According to media reports, investigators have so far found no evidence of who ordered the destruction. However, citing information from the secret service, it was said that a pro-Ukrainian group could be responsible. Investigators have identified a yacht in question, which was rented by a company based in Poland, which “apparently belongs to two Ukrainians,” it said. In addition, a team consisting of a captain, two divers, two diving assistants and a doctor brought the explosives to the crime scenes. It is unclear what nationalities they belonged to. Apparently they used fake passports.