Russia retaliated Wednesday after suspected sabotage of Nord Stream gas pipelines in Russia’s Baltic Sea. He pointed to the United States and the UN. He called a meeting of the Security Council.
Meanwhile, in Stockholm, the hypothesis of deliberate sabotage was confirmed, and the investigation was handed over to Swedish intelligence.
Swedish Safety (Säpo) has “taken over from the police the initial investigation into the events at Nord Stream. The cause is now suspected to be aggravated vandalism,” the service said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, Ukraine condemned Russia’s “planned terrorist attack” “against Europe”. Moscow issued its response on Wednesday.
“Russia intends to convene an official meeting of the UN Security Council against the backdrop of provocations related to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines,” Russian Embassy spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a Telegram message.
Moscow wants “answers”.
Russian diplomacy indirectly blamed the US, demanding an “answer” from US President Joe Biden on his country’s intervention.
“The President of the United States is obligated to answer the question of whether the United States has followed through on its threat,” he said in a telegram, adding that Mr. Regarding Biden’s statement, Washington said it would “finish” Nord Stream 2. If Moscow intervenes militarily in Ukraine.
“If Russia invades (Ukraine), Nord Stream 2 will no longer exist,” Joe Biden said on February 7, two weeks before the Russian invasion began.
“Europe needs to know the truth”, insisted a spokesman for Russian diplomacy, while no element has yet been made public to blame a country for the alleged sabotage of gas pipelines linking Russia to Germany – unused but containing gas.
Blaming the US is “absurd”
The White House responded that it was “ridiculous” to suggest the US could have carried out the sabotage.
“We all know Russia has been spreading disinformation for a long time, and it’s doing it again here,” White House National Security Council spokesman Adrian Watson said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov almost flatly called it “stupid and absurd” to suspect Russia, and pointed to the “enormous profits made by US liquefied natural gas suppliers. The war in Ukraine.
The EU is content at this point to be cautious against any attack aimed at its energy infrastructures.
“Deliberate disruption of Europe’s energy infrastructure is completely unacceptable and will be met with a strong and united response,” said Joseph Borrell, head of European diplomacy.
“deliberate action”
Information available at this stage indicates that the leaks caused by explosions at these underwater installations, which connect Russia to Germany, are the result of a “deliberate act”, the European official added in a statement on behalf of the EU’s 27 member states.
Poland on Tuesday underlined that the pipeline was an integral part of the sabotage, while Russia, embroiled in its military action against Ukraine, is suspected of trying to fire back, fueling suspicions between the United States and its European allies. Conflict in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
“We clearly see this as an act of sabotage, which marks the next step in the escalation of the situation in Ukraine,” Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said.
Germany has already indicated, through the voice of Interior Minister Nancy Fasser, that it has stepped up its vigilance in the protection of its critical infrastructure.
Danish Defense Minister Morten Potskov said it will not be possible for one to two weeks to inspect the two gas pipelines damaged by the turbulence caused by the gas.
The leaks, which followed eruptions identified since Monday on the Danish island of Bornholm between southern Sweden and Poland, were visible on the surface with vast bubbles.
Arm wrestling
The subject of geopolitical arm-wrestling in recent months, two pipelines operated by Russian giant Gazprom, a consortium of Western groups, are out of action because of the war in Ukraine. But both were filled with gas.
Nord Stream 2, due for completion in 2021, was originally planned to double Germany’s capacity to import Russian gas. Its mission was suspended in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
The leaks cloud the prospect of resuming gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 in the future.
Europeans, who rely heavily on Russian gas for heating this winter, accuse Moscow of using supplies as a means of pressure.
This article was published automatically. Sources: ats / afp
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