Nord Stream Pipeline Leak: Here's Why Experts Think It's a 'Sabotage' Amid Intense Russia-Ukraine War

On Tuesday, European nations hurried to look into mysterious leaks in two Russian gas pipelines that cross the Baltic Sea close to Sweden and Denmark. These pipelines are at the center of an energy crisis that has existed since Russia invaded Ukraine.

Russian officials, who developed the network, did not completely rule out the possibility of sabotage, according to some European officials. Terje Aasland, the Norwegian minister of petroleum and energy, stated on Tuesday that the early evidence on the leaks pointed to acts of sabotage.

Swedish PM: Nord Stream Leaks Probably Due to 'Sabotage'

Both the Swedish and Danish prime ministers, Magdalena Andersson and Mette Frederiksen, acknowledged the incident was probably planned, but they downplayed the likelihood of a military danger.

Both pipelines have been flashpoints in an escalating energy war between European capitals and Moscow that has battered major Western economies, sent gas prices soaring, and sparked a search for alternative energy sources, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who told reporters in Moscow, "No option can be ruled out right now."

The operator of the Nord Stream AG pipeline claims that it is currently impossible to estimate a timeframe for restoring the gas transport infrastructure, as per CNN.

The largest of the explosions, according to Sweden's National Seismic Network, was comparable to more than 100kg of dynamite. After the explosions and allegations of unidentifiable drones flying close to some of its gas sites, Norway stepped up security at every one of them.

Terje Aasland, the Norwegian minister of oil and energy, stated that much of the evidence so far indicates acts of sabotage. As other German media quoted sources to attribute the leaks to a targeted attack, Spiegel magazine revealed that US agencies had informed Germany about potential attacks on gas pipelines in the Baltics weeks prior.

The Ukrainian president's assistant, Mykhailo Podolyak, accused Russia of carrying out a terrorist attack against the EU and urged Berlin to expedite the delivery of weaponry to Kyiv.

The network's operator, Nord Stream AG, described the damage to the pipelines as unprecedented and said it was impossible to determine a timeline for repairs. If Russian sabotage was proven, according to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, it would be in nobody's interest.

Despite a growing energy war in which Putin is betting on the West collapsing first, European gas prices jumped by as much as 20% on Tuesday after falling for the previous four days, according to Telegraph.

Russia Denies Accusation

Mette Frederiksen, the prime minister of Denmark, said it was too soon to draw any conclusions but that it was difficult to think that the numerous leaks could be a coincidence. Unconfirmed allegations in German media at the same time said that officials had not ruled out an attack on the undersea gas network.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, expressed his great concern over the incident and said it was impossible to rule out the potential of a planned attack. The EU has already charged Russia with using a decrease in gas supplies as an economic weapon in retaliation to sanctions put in place by the EU as a result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Moscow disputes this, claiming that it is now difficult to properly maintain the gas infrastructure due to the sanctions. Whatever the origin of the damage, since neither pipeline was in use, it will not immediately impair the delivery of gas to Europe. Since Russia shut down the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in August for maintenance, which involves two parallel branches, no gas has been transferred.

It reaches north-eastern Germany and the Russian shore near St. Petersburg across a distance of 745 miles (1,200 km) beneath the Baltic Sea. Following the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, its twin pipeline, Nord Stream 2, was shut down.

Poland is taking the lead in the movement to lessen reliance on Russia, which was formerly Europe's main source of energy, with the opening of a new gas pipeline. The Baltic Pipe will be a new route for Norwegian gas to reach Europe, opening up access to it for nations south of Poland like Slovakia and the Czech Republic, BBC reported.