A fourth leak was revealed Thursday on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, targeted according to NATO by “deliberate” acts of sabotage, Moscow suspecting “the involvement” of a foreign state.
The damage caused to these strategic facilities between Russia and Germany, against the backdrop of the conflict in Ukraine and tensions between Russia and the West, are to be the focus of a UN Security Council meeting on Friday in New York.
Without waiting, NATO denounced Thursday “deliberate and irresponsible” sabotage, the Kremlin speaking of a “terrorist act” assuming “the involvement” of a foreign state. However, both sides did not explicitly point to any country.
The fourth leak, in the Swedish zone, revealed by the Swedish coast guard, is in addition to the three already known in this part of the Baltic, two on the Danish side and one on the Swedish side, which are causing significant boiling on the surface.
Following suspicious explosions on Monday, these leaks are in international waters off the Danish island of Bornholm but in the respective exclusive economic zones of the two Scandinavian countries.
The Swedish Coast Guard could not immediately specify why the report of this new leak was late, but they specified that the two leaks on the Swedish side were located “in close proximity” to each other.
However, they were not able to confirm Swedish media reports that this new leak was located above the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
“Energy Lever”
NATO denounced acts of sabotage “deliberate, reckless and irresponsible”, and assured that the Atlantic Alliance would defend itself “against the use, for coercive purposes, of the lever of energy or any other hybrid process by state or non-state actors.
Russia said it suspected “the involvement” of a foreign state, but did not name a specific country.
“It is very difficult to imagine that such a terrorist act could take place without the involvement of a state,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, again calling for “an urgent investigation.”
Moscow, subject of multiple suspicions, denied Wednesday “stupid and absurd” allegations on its possible responsibility, and implicitly accused the United States by demanding “answers” to the American president Joe Biden on an implication of his country.
The White House retorted that it was “ridiculous” to insinuate that the United States could have committed these sabotages, and denounced a Russian “disinformation” operation.
The Security Council meeting, chaired by France, will be held on Friday at the request of Russia, said Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde.
Sweden and Denmark have been asked to provide information to Council members on these leaks in their exclusive economic zones, she said.
According to Danish authorities, more than half of the gas in the two pipelines has already escaped into the atmosphere with these leaks, and the rest could be gone by Sunday.
Arm wrestling
The two pipelines, which have long been at the center of geopolitical tensions aggravated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, are operated by a consortium combining the Russian giant Gazprom with Western groups. They are not operational because of the war in Ukraine, but both were filled with gas.
The vast leaks are causing significant marine boils several hundred meters wide on the surface, which make it impossible to inspect the structures immediately, according to the authorities.
Nord Stream 2, to be completed in 2021, was initially intended to double the capacity of Russian gas imports into Germany. Its commissioning was suspended in retaliation for the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
These leaks make the prospect of a resumption of gas deliveries to Europe via Nord Stream 1 more remote. Gazprom gradually reduced the volumes of gas delivered until the pipeline was completely shut down at the end of August, blaming Western sanctions for delaying the necessary repairs to the facility.
