Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested during a lengthy Q&A session with the media and the public that the destruction of three out of four lines of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, linking Russia and Germany, might have been orchestrated by the US or parties aligned with American interests. These explosions near the Danish island of Bornholm in September 2022 disrupted Germany’s direct energy connection with Russia, forcing it to rely on pricier American liquefied natural gas.
Putin highlighted the responsibility of the EU itself for any gas supply disruptions, rejecting accusations that Russia was withholding gas. He pointed out Ukraine’s closure of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline and blamed the destruction of the pipelines on someone else, insinuating the involvement of the US or entities acting under its direction.
While Putin emphasized that one Nord Stream 1 pipeline remains operational, he noted Germany’s reluctance to resume gas supplies, affirming that Russian energy giant Gazprom fulfills all contractual obligations as a reliable partner.
Investigations into the Nord Stream sabotage have yet to definitively determine the perpetrator. Speculations abound, with some suggesting Kiev’s involvement while others point fingers at the US.
Notably, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh alleged that US President Joe Biden ordered the CIA to destroy the pipelines. According to Hersh, sources in the intelligence community disclosed that CIA divers, in collaboration with the Norwegian Navy, planted remotely-triggered bombs on the connectors during a NATO excercise, providing cover for their actions.
Putin previously echoed Hersh’s claims, asserting that the US stood to gain from the attack by leveraging its position as a competitor in supplying gas to Europe. These accusations and counter-accusations continue to cloud the investigation into the Nord Stream sabotage.
