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Europe is looking at this whirlpool
Photo: HANDOUT/AFP
After the three leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines, speculation about the background to the explosions is mounting.
The EU and NATO are assuming intentional acts of sabotage, but are keeping a low profile when it comes to assigning blame – too few facts are known about the explosions on Monday.
Nevertheless, initial assumptions by individual actors are making their way to the public – almost all of them assume that the crime was a Russian act.
An overview of the allegations
The British Times reports, citing intelligence sources, that Russia is "most likely" responsible for the explosions.
The explosive devices could therefore have been placed on the pipelines weeks or months ago.
To attach it, it would have been enough to go nearby with a small fishing boat.
"They [the explosive devices] could have been there for months, waiting to be activated for detonation," the source said.
"Russia has absolutely no means of exerting pressure on the West, except for this one thing - gas," the intelligence officer continued.
The "Tagesschau" interviewed the Bundeswehr commander Michael Giss.
He also suggests that the Kremlin was behind the explosions.
Although divers could attach the explosive devices, the use of special equipment is more likely.
The Bundeswehr knows "that the Russian Navy has drones - or even very small submarines - that could be used for such purposes," says Giss.
He could also imagine that certain measures were taken in advance of the construction of the pipeline "to trigger such an event".
The "Bild" newspaper also excludes private actors.
The attack could only have been carried out by absolute specialists, said Jürgen Weber, former frigate captain.
D., the newspaper.
"A terrorist group that isn't well equipped is hard to imagine at diving depths of up to a hundred meters." The region around Bornholm is one of the "best guarded sea areas" in the world.
If you don't have enough military equipment at your disposal, you can hardly get to the pipelines unnoticed.
Russia itself rejected the first allegations – and instead blamed the United States for the leaks.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it was "stupid and absurd" to suggest that Russia was behind the leaks.
The leaks are "rather problematic" for Moscow, and the expensive gas is now "up in the air."
Washington dismissed the allegations from Moscow as "ridiculous."
The CIA had warned weeks ago of possible attacks.
On Friday, the UN Security Council will deal with Nord Stream.
The Russian-majority company Nord Stream itself wrote in a statement that the pipeline had been "physically damaged".
You can't tell how long a repair will take.
It is "not possible to estimate a time frame for the restoration of the gas transport infrastructure".
"Robust and unified response"
In the EU, the explosions are causing heightened vigilance.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell promised the EU a "robust and united response" to "deliberate disruptions" to European infrastructure.
Borrell announced that the EU would "take further steps to increase the resilience of our energy security".
Norway had previously stated that it wanted to strengthen the safety precautions at its oil facilities.
Oslo is also responding to drones that oil companies recently spotted around their platforms in Norwegian waters.
Local Swedish and Danish authorities will work together to find the causes.
The German Navy also wants to participate.
She is in contact with her Danish counterpart, said Federal Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD).
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