In the eyes of Russian President Putin, the damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 Baltic Sea pipelines is "unprecedented sabotage". Investigators should clarify who is behind it. The Kremlin continues to deny any responsibility for the gas leaks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has described the leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 Baltic Sea gas pipelines as an "act of international terrorism". According to the Kremlin, during a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Putin spoke of an "unprecedented sabotage" against the gas pipelines from Russia to Germany. Russia has requested an urgent debate in the UN Security Council for this Friday, Putin said.
The Russian Prosecutor General's Office opened a case of international terrorism on Wednesday over the alleged sabotage of the pipelines. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov has also spoken of an "act of terrorism" - but Putin himself has not yet made such a clear statement.
Several hundred kilograms of explosives are said to have been detonated for the destruction of the Baltic Sea pipelines. Gas has been escaping from the leaks since Monday, causing violent bubble formation in the Baltic Sea. The company Nord Stream AG wants to start assessing the damage as soon as it receives the necessary official permits. Access to the affected areas should only be approved once the pressure in the pipeline has stabilized and no more gas is escaping, it said in a statement. Until the assessment is completed, it is not possible to give a time frame for the repair.
A transnational investigation should shed light on the obvious sabotage of the pipelines. According to Sweden, three of the four leaks that have been discovered in the pipes are within a few kilometers of each other. A possible mastermind has not yet been named.
The Kremlin had described allegations by Ukraine, among others, as "absurd" that Russia was destroying its own infrastructure in order to exacerbate the energy crisis in Europe and trigger panic in the West ahead of winter. For days, the Kremlin has denied any responsibility for the damage to the currently unused pipelines. Russia had asked to be involved in the investigation.
