100 days after gas leaks:Mystery continues over Nord Stream sabotage. Explosions rip leaks in Nord Stream gas pipelines at the end of September. So far, there is no evidence for the perpetrators of the sabotage – the Bundestag is getting restless.
100 days after gas leaks:Mystery continues over Nord Stream sabotage. Explosions rip leaks in Nord Stream gas pipelines at the end of September. So far, there is no evidence for the perpetrators of the sabotage – the Bundestag is getting restless.
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Translation:
There was no bang, of course, but on September 26, unusual ripples were recorded that were not caused by earthquakes – at 2:04 a.m. southwest of the Danish island of Bornholm, and exactly 17 hours later northeast of it.
The Baltic Sea was bubbling, and it quickly became clear that the three gas leaks at the Nord Stream I and Nord Stream II pipelines were not the result of an accident.
Shortly thereafter, the Attorney General launched an investigation “on suspicion of intentionally causing an explosive detonation.” Everything points to a “deliberate act of sabotage,” Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) said.
The abrupt end of Russian gas supplies to Germany immediately led to accusations. Some argued that Moscow must have been behind it, because it had already cut back on the quantities of gas supplied in order to undermine Western support for Ukraine.
But would Vladimir Putin really destroy the infrastructure of his own Gazprom group and thus also give up his blackmail potential? Or would a pipe remain intact precisely for that purpose? The Kremlin, in turn, blamed the British, while others pointed out that the pipelines had always been a thorn in the side of Americans, Poles and Ukrainians.
Detonators already installed during pipeline construction?
The clarification promised by Chancellor Scholz, among others, is still a long time coming, even 100 days after the explosions. The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office is being cagey, merely pointing out that it was “assisted in two on-site investigations” by the “research vessels Atair and Alcor”. They are specialized in carrying out surveys of the seabed or sediment investigations and detecting underwater obstacles, theoretically also remnants of explosives.
Official indications of what the many investigations involving wiretaps, satellite imagery and sonar analysis have revealed so far do not exist. Security circles say that the explosions were on sections of the pipeline that were built by Gazprom and may have been fitted with detonators during construction. Other versions speculate about small submarines, disabled ship transponders or agents on board Russian fishing fleets.
But little of this seems really certain, rather the opposite: shortly before Christmas, the Washington Post quoted a source who reportedly echoed the assessment of 23 diplomats and intelligence officials from nine countries who were interviewed: “There’s no evidence at this point that Russia is behind the sabotage.”
Coordinated with the authorities, Nord Stream AG itself is also conducting investigations. It is in their “very own interest” to determine the exact damage, according to a spokesperson for Transliq, which is the trustee of the bankruptcy-threatened joint stock company and has just obtained a deferral in court for another six months. Finally, according to the German government, initial findings “suggest that it is technically possible to repair the pipes of the Nord Stream I pipeline.”
The German government must break its silence very soon.
Konstantin von Notz (Greens), top intelligence watchdog in the Bundestag
Otherwise, the government does not answer parliamentary questions de facto. “Providing information on findings from the preliminary investigation would specifically make further investigative measures more difficult,” it says in printed matter 20/4303, adding that answers must be withheld “for reasons of the welfare of the state” and that, moreover, “the internationally practiced confidentiality of the proceedings is a prerequisite for future effective cooperation.”
For the questioner Zaklin Nastic of the Left Party, this information is “a bottomless impertinence”. The disregard for the right to information of members of parliament and the general public is “scandalous beyond anything that has ever been seen before”: “Unfortunately, the behavior of the federal government solidifies the impression in my mind that it has no interest whatsoever in actually clarifying the explosions on the Nord Stream I and II pipelines.”
Crime scene at a depth of 70 meters
Roderich Kiesewetter (CDU), on the other hand, has gained the impression that investigators are “really still in the dark,” according to the deputy chairman of the Parliamentary Control Panel: “The crime scene at a depth of 70 meters is difficult to access, there were no conspicuous ship movements at the time in question, and the investigation is hardly coordinated internationally – so it may be months before we know more.”
But he wants to keep up the pressure, “because wild speculation in this unclear situation is not without danger.”
The impatience of the chairman Konstantin von Notz (Greens) is greater, despite all understanding that “especially in times of war” such “delicate investigations” must also remain secret for once:
“In a constitutional state, the public is entitled to know what really happened: the federal government must break its silence very soon, create transparency or at least present a plausible narrative of the events of September 26.”
After all, von Notz said, this was a massive crime: “The significance of this unprecedented terrorist attack on the supply infrastructure of the Federal Republic of Germany has never been properly grasped.”
Logically you’d think it would had been sabotaged by Russia itself for some domestic political reason. Yet on the other hand, the sabotage seemed to have been done so competently which logically would rule out the Russians.
I’m sure those alive in 100 years time will get the juice details of what actually happened.
Isn’t there some way to collect all this free gas?
EU as it seems doesn’t give a lot of attention to this topic.
How it’s in Germany? Do any newsletter talk about this, I don’t know how it’s in Russia also nothing coming through our west media, accusations and such…
Looks like how everyone are O.K. with this? Little talk as possible and put everything under a rug.
I’m sure they already know it, they just can’t say it openly that it was done by >!hello, you curious cat :P!<
It could have been aliens for all I care, I’d be for giving the perpetrator a medal for taking away the heroin needle from the Germans. Short term risks in gas and oil supply are meaningless in the face of the risk of a fascist invasion.
The longer this goes on the more I think it was some Western power. Why else are they being so quiet. They know who did this they spotted the ships. They are clearly frightened to release the info. If it’s the Americans it will bring up massive security considerations for European security. I don’t think the Americans would be stupid enough to do it. I think it’s most likely a Russian operation but I don’t understand the reticence to just publish who did it and the absolute fear of the media to investigate it in more detail.
It’s Russia, miraculous the only surviving pipe of the 4 is from NS2 and Putin came out and said he is ready to pump it with gas.
There is a good chance it’s the Americans. They have
* the political motive -> To screw over Russia
* the economics motive -> to sell more LNG
* the means -> competent special forces
I think the technical difficulty alone exclude a lot of nations. It’s not easy to blow up an undersea pipeline like that.
Damn you Madagascan special forces! You will not get away with this!!
Well it’s most definitely a western country
Captain Obvious did it.
The concept that the Yanks did it is, of course, like every other hollow accusation bandied about like a tennis ball in a squash court, a Russian disinformation play.
Here’s why the Russians blew the pipeline infrastructure: To escape penalty clauses in their contracts to supply gas to Germany. Force majeure means there’s no case for the Germans to sue Gazprom – can’t be sued because the pipeline is bust. The Russian navy did Gazprom a favor by blowing the lines.
The reason the nations in who’s territory it took place are not sharing intel is because of national security – they are not into disclosing their capabilities.
If there is anyone who does not think Russia is capable of this Machiavellian feat, have a look at what they did to Ukraine. It’s not good enough to have mere suspicion it was the US, it’s required to have evidence and a motive.
Duh. If there is anything left of the explosive it would be scattered over 100s of KM with the currents and the releasing gas sending it in all directions.
Russia or pro Russian groups acting alone had the clearest reasons to hit the pipelines, if you follow their own regularly stated beliefs about Europe’s reliance on Russian gas and Russia’s supposed invulnerability to economic warfare it makes perfect sense.
When you factor in NS2 being left partially intact, the obvious outcome would have been a Russian simps wet dream if those beliefs had any basis in reality.
On the other hand even under the most cinical view possible it makes no sense for any pro-Ukranian party to hit them in September.
This one of those posts where the comments tell more about the people making the comments than about the event.
There is no evidence. Therefor, if you blame X for the event, it just tells that you don’t trust/like X.
Inspector Clouseau to the rescue.
Lies & cover ups
They know it was ruzzia but admitting it would force action. Spineless cowards abhor action.
They desperately want buZiness as usual with ruzzia.
So they play dumb instead.
It was me. I did it. Come and get me.