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Russia's ambassador to Washington asserted on Friday that Ukraine would not have attacked the Nord Stream gas pipelines without at least tacit approval from the United States, and vowed that Russia would hold those responsible accountable.
According to a report on Reuters, the Nord Stream pipelines, which carried Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, experienced a sharp pressure drop on September 26, 2022. Seismologists registered explosions that day, sparking widespread speculation about who was behind the sabotage of the multibillion-dollar project.
No party has claimed responsibility for the blasts, which ruptured three out of the four lines near Denmark's Bornholm island. The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal have all reported that Ukraine, despite its denials, was behind the attack. Ukrainian officials, including presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak, have instead pointed fingers at Russia.
Reports also surfaced on Thursday suggesting that Ukraine's top military commander authorized the attack despite a warning from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky not to proceed.
“They seek to shift all responsibility to their Ukrainian puppets,” Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said in a statement. “We will seek to identify the real perpetrators of the bombing and punish them.”
Russia has repeatedly accused the United States and Britain of orchestrating the attack, allegations both Washington and London have denied. Antonov further argued that Ukraine could not have carried out the operation without a "wink" from the U.S., claiming the incident amounted to the implicit legitimization of terrorism, even against allies.
The blasts occurred within the economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Both countries have stated that the explosions were intentional but have not publicly identified those responsible. Investigations by Sweden, Denmark, and Germany are ongoing.
[Information sourced from Reuters]
