Ukraine linked to Nord Stream blast despite Zelenskyy's objection

Ukraine was reportedly behind the destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline, according to a recent report by The Wall Street Journal. The September 2022 explosion severely disrupted Russia's natural gas exports and caused significant turmoil in global energy markets. The report claims that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially approved the plan but later tried to stop it after the CIA was tipped off. However, his top general, Valeriy Zaluzhniy, went ahead with a modified version of the plan anyway.

The pipeline, which was a crucial export route for Russian natural gas to Europe, was destroyed by a group of six divers backed by Ukraine. They allegedly used a 50-foot pleasure boat chartered from Germany to plant explosives on the pipeline in the Baltic Sea. This covert operation was reportedly funded by a group of Ukrainian businessmen on a modest budget of around $300,000 and had the backing of senior Ukrainian military officers.

The exact identity of those responsible for the attack had been unclear for some time, with investigations by Danish and Swedish authorities closing without conclusive results. However, The Wall Street Journal's report, based on information from Ukrainian defense officials and a German police investigation, sheds new light on the incident.

Despite Ukraine's repeated denials of involvement, the report suggests that senior Ukrainian special operations officer Roman Chervinsky played a key role in the attack. The revelation that Zelenskyy may have been aware of the operation could strain diplomatic relations between Ukraine and Germany, a significant supporter of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. The destruction of the pipeline has forced Germany to seek alternative energy sources at a high cost, reportedly around $1 million per day. The situation is expected to create further tension, especially considering Germany's substantial military and financial support for Ukraine.

[Source: Business Insider]