The Russian owned Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines are leaking in two places, blowing tons of natural gas into the Baltic Sea.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipeline leaks are ~75 kilometers apart (so, two very distinctive incidents). The Danish military has dropped 3 beacons over the leaks to signal the danger. You can see them here via @MarineTraffic data (red circle).
— Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) September 27, 2022
My latest: https://t.co/r9IMnMrYl7 pic.twitter.com/El6J9gNjXp
NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg is calling the situation sabotage, as is EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.
Nato chief calls pipeline attack ‘sabotage’ https://t.co/C0mExYTx9q
— Lucas Tomlinson (@LucasFoxNews) September 28, 2022
“All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act. We will support any investigation aimed at getting full clarity on what happened and why, and will take further steps to increase our resilience in energy security,” Borrell released in a statement Wednesday. “Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response.”
This of course raises questions about who did the sabotaging. There's plenty of speculation and little confirmation about who is behind explosions which led to the leaks. The United States is a suspect after President Joe Biden said earlier this year that if Russia invaded Ukraine, the pipeline would be no more.
A former Polish defense minister has credited the United States with blowing up two Russian natural gas pipelines to Europe, Nord Stream 1 & 2, the day before Poland opened a major new pipeline from Norwayhttps://t.co/LjuHMNqv3g
— Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) September 27, 2022
Pres. Biden: "If Russia invades...then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it."
— ABC News (@ABC) February 7, 2022
Reporter: "But how will you do that, exactly, since...the project is in Germany's control?"
Biden: "I promise you, we will be able to do that." https://t.co/uruQ4F4zM9 pic.twitter.com/4ksDaaU0YC
Russia is also a suspect, but is dimissing claims the Kremlin sabotaged their own pipeline.
The two explosions of Nord Stream 1 & 2 took place just outside of Danish & Swedish territorial waters, that is, on international waters. They were professionally pursued with huge detonations. Talking to experts here in Stockholm, I receive only one answer: Russia.
— Anders Åslund (@anders_aslund) September 28, 2022
The plot thickens — one day after the Nordstream explosions, Gazprom (Russia’s state gas company) again threatens to cut off Russian gas transit to Europe via Ukrainian pipelines.
— Nolan Peterson (@nolanwpeterson) September 28, 2022
Pretty crazy that the flow of Russian gas through Ukraine to Europe continues during the war… https://t.co/HV2WtT0gS6
Suspected #Russia sabotage of #NordStream pipelines was "probably premeditated & planned" -- using an explosive device dropped weeks earlier & detonated with a unique signal.#UK military intel source, to @thetimes.
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) September 28, 2022
Likely 100kg+ device.https://t.co/7OZ83rtbOD pic.twitter.com/78dpiUYMXt
I don't know who blew up the Nord Stream pipelines. I do know that when solving a mystery, you look for motives. Russia has none; they can turn off the gas when they want. The U.S. has plenty: Blame Putin, escalate the war, advance green agenda, make EU dependent. Go from there. pic.twitter.com/WnJCSIYqUB
— Jim Rickards (@JamesGRickards) September 28, 2022