On Wednesday, the Kremlin dismissed suggestions that it was somehow behind a potential assault on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, saying that the US had opposed them and that its companies had made significant profits delivering gas to Europe.
The Kremlin referred to the European Union's assertion that gas leaks on the Nord Stream pipes to Europe were a deliberate act as "stupid and absurd."
Putin Spokesman Denies Nord Stream Attack
In response to Ukraine's assertion that the disclosures were a terrorist attack by Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov informed reporters that it was both political Peskov claims that the disclosures are very problematic for Moscow. Three inexplicable gas leaks and two explosions occurred on Monday on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
Due to Russia's alleged retaliation against Western sanctions following its military intervention in Ukraine, the pipelines have been at the center of geopolitical upheaval in recent months. Russian gas shipments to Europe were reduced.
Parallel to Nord Stream 1, Nord Stream 2 was created to strengthen Germany's ability to import Russian gas. Berlin, however, stopped the newly completed Nord Stream 2 immediately before Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, as per WIONews.
Tony Blinken, the secretary of state, said on Tuesday that damaging the pipelines was in no one's interest. The United States would not speculate on the cause, according to the White House National Security Council. Swedish and Danish repair teams won't be able to plug the leaks for at least a week, the countries' prime ministers said, expressing sympathy for Germany's worries that the leaks may have been caused by sabotage.
Both pipelines weren't being used, though, when the damage happened. No Nord Stream 1 had been present. In contrast, Nord Stream 2 has never started up officially since Germany refused to approve its completion last year. Just days before Russia's invasion, the project was completely abandoned.
In contrast, Nord Stream 2 has never started up officially since Germany refused to approve its completion last year. Just a few days prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the project was completely shelved, Fox Business reported.
Satellite Sees Evidence of Sabotage
From orbit, it is possible to see the results of an energy sabotage attempt. The leaks caused methane gas to pour to the surface of the Baltic Sea, resulting in frothy white regions that are like churning hurricanes. One of these striking signs, the patch above the Nord Stream 2 break, which is located just southeast of Bornholm Island in Denmark, was discovered by a tiny Earth-observing satellite.
Dove, a cubesat made by Planet, is the satellite in question. Each Dove, which is roughly the size of a shoebox and can discern objects as small as 10 feet (3 meters) on the Earth's surface, is part of the San Francisco company's fleet of about 200.
Some European authorities claim that the Dove spotted indications of sabotage. Researchers and government officials have stated that it would be exceedingly rare for two pipelines to experience three breaches almost simultaneously without human interference.
Per Space, seismologists also noted significant explosions on Monday near the leak sites, which hardly seems to be a coincidence. Who set off the explosives and what they were meant to accomplish if anything at all is now unknown. Although investigations are planned, they cannot begin in full until the breaches have been fixed, according to experts.
Related Article: Nord Stream Pipeline Leak: Here's Why Experts Think It's a 'Sabotage' Amid Intense Russia-Ukraine War
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