The Nord Stream pipelines may have been damaged in an act of sabotage, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov suggested when asked about the possible reasons for sudden pressure loss in three of the Baltic Sea gas network’s lines.
Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Peskov commented on a statement made by Nord Stream AG, the operator of the network, which said three offshore lines of the Nord Stream pipeline system sustained “unprecedented” damage in just one day.
“No option can be ruled out right now,” Peskov said when asked if the damage may have been the result of sabotage. He added that Moscow is very concerned about the situation, and called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the incident, which has implications for energy security on the “entire continent.”
Pressure in line A of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was pumped with gas but had yet to go into operation, suddenly dropped overnight between Sunday and Monday. Shortly after that, on Monday afternoon, both of Nord Stream 1’s pipelines also suffered a sharp loss of pressure.
Sweden and Denmark’s coastguards have since reported gas leaks off the coast of Bornholm island in the Baltic Sea – one in the Swedish economic zone and one in the Danish zone – and closed off the area to maritime traffic.
According to a report from the Tagesspiegel newspaper on Tuesday, Berlin believes the sudden pressure drop in three gas pipelines at the same time could not be a coincidence and is likely a “targeted attack” from either Ukraine or Russia. The outlet explained that a deliberate attack on the pipeline could only have been carried out using special forces, navy divers or a submarine. Berlin reportedly believes the sabotage was carried out by either “Ukraine-affiliated forces” or by Russia itself as a “false flag” operation to make Ukraine look bad and drive energy prices in the EU even higher.
Nord Stream 1 was completed in 2011. Construction work on Nord Stream 2 (NS2) began in 2018, and suffered delays due to political pressure and sanctions from the US. NS2 was finished and pressurized in September 2021. However, two days prior to Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, the German government put its certification on indefinite hold, and has categorically rejected any suggestion from Moscow – or domestically – to unblock the pipeline.
Below is NE’s take on the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline.
This developing black swan event seems to be getting worse by the hour.
The Danish armed forces have released video footage of the leaks with gas hitting the surface of the sea in a kilometre wide cauldron.
Whilst the pipes were not operational, they were full of gas, approximately two days worth for Germany at a market value of more than €800 million. Most of the financial burden of today’s events will fall firmly on Russia, as they owned the gas.
The Swedish National Seismic Network confirmed that as many as 30 of their measuring stations recorded the explosions with one of them having the strength of 2.3 on the Richter scale. This is the equivalent of more than 100 kilos of dynamite. With 4 cm of steel pipe coated with 10 cm of steel-reinforced concrete a large explosion would be required. Each section of pipe weighs 11 tonnes which increases to 25 tonnes after the concrete is poured.
The first explosion registered at 02:03 on Monday and the second at 19:04 on Monday evening. The Swedish Uppsala University said they were very certain these were explosions, this was not an earthquake or landslide.
The amount of gas hitting the surface means the damage to the pipes is huge and a combination of sea water and pressure is likely making that damage worse. Damage that will take a long time to repair, if even possible. More gas will have to be purchased from the US at ten times the price. UK gas prices jumped up 35% in a single day.
Germany’s Economic Minister announced that speculation over the reason for the leaks was forbidden, causing speculation as to why speculation had been banned.
Fortunately, Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, came to the rescue and announced that after an initial assessment, the Nord Stream gas leaks were caused by a ‘deliberate act’ and could not have occurred by accident. The Kremlin had already said the same earlier on.
Radek Sikorski, Poland’s ex-Foreign Minister, Chair of the Delegation for relations with the US and Anne Applebaum’s husband (US journalist) thanked the US for the explosions.
US deployments on nearby Bornholm island along with suspicious US naval activity in the area have been discussed online. However, with the US military being active all round the world, this is unlikely to be the smoking gun some people believe it to be.
With the two separate incidents happening approximately 75 kilometres apart, this was no accident. Speculation as to who blew up the pipes is rife with Russia, the US and Britain up front with Ukraine closely following behind. If this was backed by the US, is this what a dying empire looks like, lashing out at anyone in an attempt to survive?
Timing is also of interest…why now? Only yesterday, demonstrations were popping up all around Germany demanding an end to sanctions on Russia and the reopening of the pipelines.
Whoever blew up the pipelines, at 70-80 metres below the surface, did they use a drone submarine such as this one developed by Boeing? In July this year, the US integrated a payload delivery system to its unmanned undersea vehicle.
And whoever blew up the pipelines has set a new precedent - international waters are no longer safe. US or British gas, oil or telecoms lines could all be attacked, either in retaliation or as part of the original plot.
We will probably find out who sabotaged Nord Stream in a few generations or so but right now, in the present, this could be the black swan event that sparks something huge.
The following is information compiled by Michael Shellenberger.
A former Polish Defense Minister, Radek Sikorski, has attributed to the United States the sabotage of two pipelines, Nord Stream 1 and 2, which carry natural gas from Russia to Germany. “Thank you, USA,” Sikorski wrote on Twitter. Sikorski was Minister of National Defense from 2005 - 2007 and served as Deputy Minister of National Defense and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, previously. He is currently an elected member of the European parliament.
Nord Stream 1 and 2 lie on the bed of the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream 2 was finished last year but Germany never opened it because Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Poland’s Secretary of State, Stanisław Żaryn, denounced Sikorki’s claim on Twitter as “Russian #propaganda,” calling it “a smear campaign against Poland, the US, and Ukraine, accusing the West of aggression against #NS1 and #NS2. Authenticating the Russian lies at this particular moment jeopardizes the security of Poland. What an act of gross irresponsibility!”
But it’s not out of the realm of the possible that the U.S. is indeed behind the attack. President Joe Biden promised on February 7 to prevent Nord Stream 2 from becoming operational if Russia invaded Ukraine. "If Russia invades,” said Biden, “then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it."
Reporter: "But how will you do that, exactly, since...the project is in Germany's control?"
Biden: "I promise you, we will be able to do that."
And Sikorski is no apologist for Russia. In a May debate with University of Chicago political scientist, John Mearsheimer, Sikorski accused Russia of being in violation of the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, under which Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons. Following the debate, the Chairman of the Russian State, Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, said "Sikorski is causing a nuclear conflict in the center of Europe. He does not think about the future of Ukraine or that of Poland. If his suggestions are fulfilled, these countries will cease to exist, as will Europe.” Sikorski is also married to Anne Applebaum, a journalist known for her hawkish views toward Russia.
The exchange comes at the same moment that German magazine Der Spiegel has reported that the CIA warned Germany weeks ago of a coming attack on natural gas pipelines, Nord Stream 1 and 2, which transport natural gas from Russia to Germany. Der Spiegel notes that Russia could have pulled off such an attack on the pipelines, but “It is difficult to see whether Russia or Ukraine could have an interest in such an incident.” Indeed, Russia could have restricted natural gas flows like it did earlier this month when it blamed an oil leak as the excuse, without blowing up the pipelines.
And Russia has made no secret of its desire to continue supplying Europe with natural gas. On September 16, Russian President Vladimir Putin denied Russia caused Europe's energy crisis and said that if Europe wanted more natural gas it should lift the sanctions in the way of opening Nord Stream 2. "The bottom line is,” said Putin, “if you have an urge, if it's so hard for you, just lift the sanctions on Nord Stream 2, which is 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year, just push the button and everything will get going.”
The sabotage of Nord Stream 1 and 2 came the day before Poland and Norway opened a new, 850-kilometer natural gas pipeline, Baltic Pipe, through Denmark. European leaders praised the pipeline as a much-needed alternative to Nord Stream 1 and 2. Norway Energy Minister Terje Aasland called Baltic Pipe “a milestone on the important path towards European independence”.
Baltic Pipe connects Poland to Denmark's mainland and then to Norway and allows Poland to consume Norway’s natural gas, as well as to allow Sweden and Denmark to buy natural gas from Poland. “The push to escape reliance on Russian energy was given extra urgency on Tuesday,” noted a journalist, “after mysterious leaks were discovered on two Kremlin-owned pipelines to Germany.” It’s now clear that the “leaks” were caused by sabotage.
This is the description for the following WION video:
“Unexplained gas leaks detected in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines from Russia to Germany have prompted investigations by European countries into the cause amid fear of possible sabotage” along with devastating fuel shortages this winter which will soon be arriving.
Both Frances Leader and myself commented on a video posted yesterday morning which apportioned 100% of the blame for the Nord Stream sabotage on the U.S. I was so tired by the drone that I didn’t finish watching it.
I would be shocked if the UK wasn’t somehow involved with the “mystery leaks” in the Nord Stream pipelines, especially given the numerous trips to visit Zelensky by Boris, geographically challenged WEF puppet Truss, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace and others this year on the taxpayer’s dime to give him multiple millions of £££.
The UK has also been training Ukrainian AFU and there has been mention of British intelligence operatives in Ukraine this past year.
Trident is so close by.... I am sick of people ignoring the threat from UK. The City of London Crown Corporation UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE BLACK NOBILITY TELLS the United States what to do and when it comes to a job like this, they make sure that it is done right..... by doing it themselves.
Didn’t we see THIS coming?
UK personnel also possess the knowledge and skill to work with gas pipelines and navigate the Baltic Sea. In fact, the UK and other NATO members participated in military exercises there in June this past summer, namely the Baltops 22.
Royal Navy warships alongside NATO allies have shown the alliance’s staunch commitment to Baltic security during the largest military exercises in the region this year.
Portsmouth-based Type 45 destroyer HMS Defender provided the firepower and leading-edge technology, while six of the smallest craft in the Royal Navy’s inventory – Archer, Charger, Explorer, Exploit, Ranger and Smiter – provided the speed, agility and numbers to swarm around participants in Baltops 22, which involved 47 warships from 16 nations, including Sweden and Finland. [Bold mine.]
More than 7,000 military personnel were put through their paces in operational training across 13 days designed to forge closer bonds between NATO allies and partners and protect the security and prosperity of the Baltic and its nations.
The NATO ships and around 90 aircraft – the most ever on Baltops – pitted their wits against each-other in testing warfare scenarios, battling threats beneath, on and above the waves.
The six P2000 patrol ships were used to swarm around groups of much larger warships, emulating an assault by small attack craft, while a Swedish submarine lurked under the surface and was hunted and hunter for the anti-submarine warfare phase of the exercises.
“It was a privilege to act as a flagship for Baltops 22 and highlights the importance that the Royal Navy places on working with allies and partners in the Baltic Sea,” said HMS Defender’s Commanding Officer, Commander George Storton.
“As a state of the art Type 45 Destroyer, HMS Defender has a well established reputation for delivering global operations. This period, once again, proves the professionalism, dedication and readiness of Defender’s ship’s company.”
For the first time, the Baltops task group carried out a mass casualty evacuation. Actors with fake injuries added to the realism as the allied forces worked together to help the ‘wounded’.
HMS Defender was involved in anti-submarine warfare exercises but also operated in her main role in air defence, including leading Task Force Six Four (CTF 64) of the US Sixth Fleet, which deals in defending against attacks by missiles and fighter jets.
The Type 45 destroyer has powerful, cutting-edge sensors and Sea Viper missiles that counter threats and can knock moving targets out of the sky from up to 70 miles away, making her well-suited to duties at the spearhead of the specialist task group.
CTF 64 commander, Commodore Jonathan Lipps of the US Navy, and his staff were on board Defender to command the group, which was made up of American, Swedish, Finnish and Lithuanian warships.
Cdre Lipps said: “Train as you mean to fight couldn’t be a more apt dogma as we mixed the exercise with the real picture.
“The task group conducted multiple air defence exercises utilising Defender’s state of the art radar system, and tracked live assets while we Replenished At Sea with USNS Patuxent.”
Lieutenant Commander Tom Parsons, HMS Defender’s Principal Warfare Officer, added: “HMS Defender is the epitome of this multi-national exercise; not only do we have the US Battlestaff embarked, but we have two Swedish Officers experiencing how the Royal Navy and NATO deliver operations and exercises: a truly joint mission.”
Warships from NATO partners, Finland and Sweden, were for the first time in control of ships in a NATO task group, leading the way during mock battles against surface and underwater threats.
The 51st Baltops exercises also coincided with the 500th anniversary of Sweden’s Navy and, to mark this milestone, the Swedish hosted the pre-sail conference in Stockholm.
Once Baltops wrapped up, HMS Defender and the six P2000 patrol ships headed to Kiel, Germany.
Participating nations included Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. [Bold mine.]
There were also Baltic Sea exercises lead by the British Navy in March 2021.
British frigates HMS Lancaster and Westminster and tanker RFA Tiderace led warships from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia into the Baltic Sea.
The Ministry of Defence say here that British vessels have joined forces with regional allies for “a concerted demonstration of Britain’s commitment to the security and stability of the region”.
HMS Lancaster leads a force of British, Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian warships.
According to the news release linked to above:
“It is the first operation of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force – a partnership of nine northern European nations committed to working together on operations as varied as warfighting through to humanitarian assistance and defence engagement.
In this instance, the expeditionary force is focusing on maritime security in the southern Baltic Sea. The Royal Navy ships have been joined by Estonian minehunter Wambola, Latvian patrol vessel Jelgava, and from Lithuania minehunter Jotvingis and patrol ship Selis.” {Bold mine.]
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said:
“Some of the UK’s closest and most steadfast Allies are found in the Baltics. This deployment is both the latest example of a long and proud history of defence cooperation and a clear demonstration of the capability of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).
As the first maritime patrol of made up of exclusively JEF nations, we are ensuring our ships and people are ready to operate in challenging conditions alongside our Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian allies.”
Commander Will Blackett, Commanding Officer of HMS Lancaster:
“It is a real privilege to command the first task group of this type and I have been impressed by the capabilities on display from our partner nations. My ship’s company are continuing to deliver success on operations against the hugely challenging backdrop of the Coronavirus pandemic.”
The Ministry of Defence add that the British ships “underwent a week of full-throttle individual and combined training in the North Sea” on their way to join their Baltic allies.
I have no idea why Substack decided to notify me today that you had quoted one of my articles so long ago! Bizarre biz! Anyway, thanks for the mention and (just to update) I am still of the same opinion despite recent claims by a certain famous US journalist....
WHo cares ? that is last month
Just now today BIDEN blew up a oil-tanker in MALACCA Straitghts going China back to UAE for refueling;
Just like WW2 where the USA, cut off fuel to the world "Japan", what followed was WW2, now the USA thinks that WW3 will keep global-homo in power
The homo's are insane, and they would rather we all die than lose power
I have no idea why Substack decided to notify me today that you had quoted one of my articles so long ago! Bizarre biz! Anyway, thanks for the mention and (just to update) I am still of the same opinion despite recent claims by a certain famous US journalist....