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Nord Stream: Energy expert sure - Russia has "already installed explosives during construction"

2022-10-04T10:37:43.730Z


Nord Stream: Energy expert sure - Russia has "already installed explosives during construction" Created: 10/04/2022 12:28 p.m By: Felix Durach The investigations into the gas leaks on the Nord Stream pipelines have started. Most of the West suspects Russia to be behind the alleged sabotage. STOCKHOLM - Almost a week after the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, many questions remain


Nord Stream: Energy expert sure - Russia has "already installed explosives during construction"

Created: 10/04/2022 12:28 p.m

By: Felix Durach

The investigations into the gas leaks on the Nord Stream pipelines have started.

Most of the West suspects Russia to be behind the alleged sabotage.

STOCKHOLM - Almost a week after the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, many questions remain unanswered.

However, the secret services of virtually all the countries involved agree on one thing: the leaks in the pipelines were caused by sabotage.

In order to get more information about the process, the Swedish public prosecutor's office has now decided to cordon off the sea area around the leaks in the pipelines for the investigations.

Gas leaks on Nord Stream pipelines: Sweden closes off sea area for investigations

It is being investigated on suspicion of serious sabotage, as prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist announced on Monday evening (October 3).

According to the Swedish Coast Guard, an area five nautical miles (almost nine kilometers) wide was cordoned off in the afternoon.

This means that, among other things, you are not allowed to drive through the ship, anchor, dive or fish there.

Crime scene investigations would now be carried out in the restricted area.

However, Ljungqvist was unable to provide any details, citing the ongoing investigations.

According to Swedish information, gas continues to leak from the leaks in the pipeline.

Denmark and the Russian pipeline operator Gazprom recently reported that the gas flow had dried up.

The investigation into the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines has begun.

© Danish Defence/AFP

Blame for the explosions at the pipeline meanwhile takes place on both sides.

While Moscow sees the US as responsible for the gas leaks, the majority of western countries suspect Russia to be behind the act of sabotage.

President Vladimir Putin could use Russia's energy supply to Europe as a hybrid weapon in the fight against Western sanctions.

Andriy Koboljov, the former head of the Ukrainian utility Naftogaz, recently came to this conclusion in an interview with the

Süddeutsche Zeitung

.

Energy expert Kobolyov sure - Russia responsible for explosion at Baltic Sea pipelines

For Kobolyov, who is considered an expert on the Eastern European energy market because of his professional career, there is no doubt that Russia must be behind the sabotage.

The Ukrainian justifies his assessment with the feasibility of such a sabotage action on the pipelines.

The tubes are therefore equipped with countless sensors.

Thus, the immediate environment could be closely monitored by Russia.

Kobolyov therefore considers an attack by another state to be almost impossible.

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"If the pipeline is well guarded by the Russians and the Baltic Sea is the home of the Russian Navy - how could anyone else have approached the pipeline unnoticed?" the expert explained to the

SZ.

However, since the Baltic Sea is also patrolled by NATO ships, Kobolev believes that a direct attack is generally very difficult to carry out.

Did Moscow use Soviet tactics?

"They already planted the explosives when the pipeline was built"

The energy expert therefore suspects a different approach: “They already installed the explosives when the pipeline was built.

This method is not a Russian invention, but a legacy of the Soviet Union.” The Russian military is said to have installed the explosives years ago and have been waiting for the right time to use the Nord Stream pipelines as part of hybrid warfare ever since.

However, Kobolyov's claims cannot currently be independently verified.

We have summarized the most important questions and answers about the Nord Stream sabotage here for you.

Russian calculus?

Gazprom promises gas supplies via Nord Stream 2

A press release by the Russian company Gazprom at least suggests that Russian calculations could be behind the gas leaks.

The operator of the Nord Stream pipelines announced on Twitter on Monday that from a technical point of view it would soon be possible to supply gas through the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Moscow could use the leaks to try to increase the pressure on the West to finally put Nord Stream 2 into operation.

However, Gazprom did not provide any information in its statement on the strands of Nord Stream 1 that were also damaged.

Energy expert Kobolyov also suspects an attempt by Russia to wriggle out of the gas supply contracts to Europe behind the alleged sabotage.

Gazprom must plead "force majeure" in order to avoid fines for non-compliance with the contracts.

Kobolyov suspects that Moscow could have created such a case of force majeure itself.

(fd with dpa)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-10-04

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