Swedish investigators have found evidence of ‘serious sabotage’ of Nord Stream pipelines. The explosions have not been attributed to any nation-state or organization. Furthermore, no nation has been charged by the United States with committing an act of sabotage.
In its early assessment, a Swedish agency concluded on Oct. 6 that breaches from the Russian Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea were most probably caused by “serious sabotage.”
The Swedish Security Service stated that “detonations” were liable for the substantial damage to the pipelines owned entirely by Russia last week. Seismologists in Denmark and Sweden have also stated that the damage was not natural, and that blasts were most likely to blame. The evidence recovered from the scene will be evaluated.
“During the crime scene investigation … seizures have been made,” the Security Service stated. “As part of the work,” it added in a statement, “the seizures will now be reviewed and analyzed.”
“The continued preliminary investigation must show whether someone can be served with suspicion and later prosecuted,” the agency stated, adding that the explosions constitute a “very serious” development.
The blockade surrounding the pipelines off Sweden will be withdrawn now that the preliminary inquiry has concluded, Swedish officials stated on Oct. 6.
The authorities of Denmark and Sweden earlier stated that they suspected a planned act of sabotage involving several hundred pounds of explosives. The Nord Stream 1 and 2 leaks spewed massive amounts of methane into the atmosphere.
Danish authorities confirmed over the weekend that the two methane leaks they were tracking in international seas had ceased. One of the breaches off Sweden looks to have ended as well.
Energy Standoff
Since the breaches transpired in the midst of an energy stalemate between the EU, Germany, and Moscow, officials in the EU have openly suspected sabotage. Authorities in Moscow have referred to suggestions that Russia is likely to be to fault as “predictably stupid,” stressing that both the pipelines and the natural gas contained within them are owned by Russia.
Additionally, it has been asserted that the sabotage attack was orchestrated by the United States or one of its partners, a claim that has been unequivocally refuted by Pentagon and White House officials.
The United States would benefit the most from the strike, according to public speculation made earlier this week by Jeffrey Sachs, a renowned economist at Columbia University, since it would be able to sell its natural gas to Europe by bypassing Russia.
President Joe Biden’s public comments on the pipeline and Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s statement from last week that the EU now has a “tremendous opportunity” to diminish its reliance on Russian gas were also mentioned by Sachs.
In a statement on October 6, spokesperson for the Russian foreign ministry Maria Zakharova said that the US had deceived the EU. She mentioned how Alexander Novak, the deputy prime minister of Russia, recently declared that his country was prepared to provide gas via a portion of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that had not been damaged.
“Will anyone now dare claim after that our country is behind this act of sabotage? I agree it’s hard to face the truth. But someday the EU countries will have to face up to the fact they were betrayed by their allies,” Zakharova wrote.
US Not Involved in ‘Sabotage’
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby categorically denied that Washington was involved in the event during an Oct. 4 interview with Fox News. He claimed that those accusations were made by Russian propaganda.
“That’s just Russian propaganda and disinformation,” Kirby told Fox News. “Now, we know it was an act of sabotage, but there’s an investigation going on right now. I don’t think we’re going to get into credentialing that in terms of who was responsible. We’re going to let the investigators take a look at that. But, clearly, this was an act of sabotage.”
The explosions have not been attributed to any nation-state or organisation. Furthermore, no nation has been charged by the United States with committing an act of sabotage.
“Again, I can’t speak to specific accountability for this act of sabotage,” Kirby said. “I can just assure you the United States had nothing to do with it, of course. That’s just Russian propaganda.”
However, later on in the interview, Kirby hinted that Russia could be to blame.
“Just look at what Russia has done in the past since the last seven months of this war and when it began and that is to weaponize energy,” he said.
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“Furthermore, no nation has been charged by the United States with committing an act of sabotage.” Nothing illustrates the arrogance better than this statement. The pipeline does not belong to the United States, they do not use it, and it is nowhere near any United States territory. The United States has no standing to “charge” anybody with anything.