The Ukrainian government has dismissed any involvement in sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines. A senior Ukrainian official made the statement in response to a report by the New York Times, which cited new intelligence that had been reviewed by US officials suggesting that a pro-Ukrainian group, not connected to the government in Kyiv, was involved in the attack.
Mystery Surrounds the Attack on Nord Stream Pipelines
The attack on the Nord Stream pipelines, which occurred last September, damaged two pipes transporting Russian gas into the European Union and remains a mystery as to who is responsible. The pipelines were closed at the time of the attack, and the incident has been a major point of contention between Russia and the West.
Reports of Ukrainian Involvement Lack of Evidence
A source familiar with US intelligence has stated that the assessment was not made with high confidence and is not the predominant view of the intelligence community. A section of the US intelligence community believes pro-Ukrainian actors had the motive to sabotage the pipelines. Still, there is no evidence that Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, had any knowledge or involvement in the pipeline sabotage.
Warnings against Hasty Conclusions
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned against hastily drawing conclusions and added that the chance of a false flag operation was within the realm of possibilities. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also stated that no perpetrator had been identified and that it was right to wait until ongoing national investigations were finalized.
Response from Russia and Investigation Updates
The Kremlin has described the report as an “obvious disinformation campaign coordinated by the media,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has called for a fair and prompt investigation into the explosions. European authorities, including Germany, Sweden, and Denmark, have opened investigations into the incident, and Swedish prosecutors confirmed the blasts were an act of sabotage. The German prosecutors’ office searched a boat in January suspected of carrying explosives used in the explosions, but investigations are ongoing. No evidence has been presented to the public regarding which parties are responsible.
