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Monday, October 03, 2022, 12:57
Sabotage suspected in Nord Stream gas leaks
By Chen Weihua in Brussels
Monday, October 03, 2022, 12:57 By Chen Weihua in Brussels

Investigations underway over ruptures of pipelines that carry energy supplies to Europe

A photo taken on Sept 28, 2022 from an aircraft of the Swedish Coast Guard (Kustbevakningen) shows the release of gas emanating from a leak on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, in the Swedish economic zone in the Baltic Sea. (photo / Swedish Coast Guard via AP)

European nations are launching investigations into the cause of three major leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines that link Russia and Germany through the Baltic Sea — already suspected by Scandinavian leaders to be acts of sabotage.

Germany’s geological research center GFZ said that a seismograph on the Danish island of Bornholm, near where the leaks occurred, recorded spikes twice on Sept 26, the day when the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines witnessed sharp falls in pressure.

The leaks reported are in Danish and Swedish maritime economic zones, not the nations’ territorial waters.

Aerial photos by the Danish military show bubbling gas, with the areas in question ranging from 200 to 1,000 meters in diameter.

Denmark and Sweden on Sept 27 said major leaks on the two Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea were caused by deliberate acts of sabotage carried out in each of the two countries’ exclusive economic zones.

Neither pipeline was in operation amid an energy standoff between Russia and Europe. Moscow has slashed gas deliveries to Europe after the West imposed sanctions over Moscow’s special military operation in Ukraine.

On Sept 26, Danish and Swedish officials said that leaks had been identified in two natural gas pipelines — Nord Stream 1 and its twin, Nord Stream 2 — under the Baltic Sea off the coast of Denmark’s Bornholm island, near the exclusive economic zones of Denmark and Sweden.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said in Copenhagen on Sept 27 that “two explosions” have been registered, but she refused to speculate as to who might be responsible.

“It is the clear assessment by authorities that these are deliberate actions. It was not an accident,” Frederiksen told journalists.

Dan Jorgensen, minister for climate, energy and utilities, said, “The gas pipes lie at a depth of 70 to 90 meters and consist of over 12-centimeter thick layers of steel and concrete, respectively. The nature of the leaks indicates that there are such large holes that it cannot have happened by accident.”

He said that the leaks are not expected to cause supply security issues in the short term.

Outgoing Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said: “We have Swedish information and we have also been in touch with Denmark, and based on this, we have concluded that this is likely a deliberate act, that is, it is likely an act of sabotage.”

Neither leader pointed fingers at any possible culprits.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia was “extremely concerned” by the reports of damage and that no option, including sabotage, could be ruled out at the moment.

Russia’s Federal Security Service is investigating the damage sustained by the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea as “international terrorism”, the Interfax news agency cited the Russian general prosecutor’s office as saying on Sept 28.

The European Union warned of a strong response should any of the bloc’s active infrastructure be attacked.

“Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on Sept 28.

Finland is watching its territorial waters very closely following explosions of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sept 27 called for authorities to “investigate the incidents, get full clarity on events and why”.

European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said: “We believe we do not have the elements in order to determine what is the reason for the leak.”

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sept 27 that the initial reports indicated an attack or some other kind of sabotage, but “we haven’t confirmed that yet”.

On the social media, the remarks of US President Joe Biden on Feb 8 during a press briefing are popular again. Biden told reporters: “If Russia invades...then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it.” 

A reporter quickly asked: “But how will you do that, exactly, since ... the project is in Germany’s control?” Biden said: “I promise you, we will be able to do that.”

Agencies contributed to this story.

chenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn

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