The Nord Stream pipeline explosions last year may have been the work of a pro-Ukraine group. A report in the New York Times on Tuesday cited new intelligence seen by US officials. Ukraine denied any knowledge or involvement as Western countries continue their investigations. Loading Something is loading.
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New intelligence suggests the September explosions that ruptured the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines may have been carried out by a group opposed to Russian President Vladimir Putin, sources told the New York Times.
US officials have reviewed data that indicates that the perpetrators were Ukrainian or Russian nationals and supportive of Kyiv, the report said.
The report did not implicate Ukrainian leadership in the attack, and Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior aide to President Volodymir Zelensky, said that Kyiv was “absolutely not involved.”
Previously, the West and Russia have exchanged blame, though with little evidence. Russia insisted on being faultless, and demanded the US prove it wasn’t involved.
After Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine last February, Russia cut off energy exports to Europe following a slew of Western sanctions against the Kremlin. Gazprom, which owns the Nord Stream pipeline, saw its revenue halved as a result.
While the US, Germany, Sweden and Denmark carry on with their investigations, Russian leadership last month proposed a UN draft resolution to establish an international investigation, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, Russia recently decided to leave the pipelines in disrepair, effectively giving up on the European market for its gas exports.
Instead, the nation has had to redirect its energy supplies to markets in Asia and Africa at discounted rates.