According to a British media report, an attack by a Russian underwater drone could be behind the damaged gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. The action may have been prepared months ago, a source from the British defense sector is quoted as saying.
The damaged Nord Stream gas pipelines were damaged "probably deliberately and deliberately" by a device dropped into the sea weeks before the blast, according to a UK defense source, reports Britain's The Times newspaper. The most likely scenario is that Russia has secretly dropped an underwater drone with an explosive charge at various points in the pipelines.
The drone could have been launched from a small vessel, such as a fishing boat, months ago, the source is quoted as saying in the report. After that, she may have dropped explosives near the pipeline. "They could lie there for months before they are given the signal to explode," the source said. The explosive devices could potentially be triggered by a noise source of a certain frequency, which could be thrown into the water at a time chosen by Russia.
According to a media report, measuring stations in Sweden and Denmark had recorded powerful detonations under water before the Nord Stream gas leaks occurred. According to the seismologist Björn Lund from the Swedish Seismological Network (SNSN), there is no doubt that there were blasts or explosions, he told the Swedish radio station SVTEs. He estimates that it takes more than 100 kilograms of dynamite or TNT to cause such a large explosion.
Danish Climate and Energy Minister Dan Jørgensen confirmed information from geologists that there was an explosion at Nord Stream 2 southeast of Bornholm at 2:03 a.m. on Monday and another at Nord Stream 1 northeast of the island at 7:03 p.m.
Since Monday, gas has been leaking from the pipelines leading from Russia to Germany at three points in international waters. The EU and NATO assume sabotage. The leaks are located near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Danish and Swedish economic zones. The Danish Navy released images showing large-scale formation of bubbles on the sea surface.
The Ukrainian government has described the leaks as the result of a "terrorist attack" carried out by Russia. Moscow immediately dismissed this as "stupid and absurd". It was "quite predictable" that such allegations would come against Moscow, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The security expert Johannes Peters, on the other hand, told ntv that in the current situation "actually only Russia could be the cause" of the pipeline leaks. "All other actors have no interest in damaging this infrastructure," says Peters.
