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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the United States of orchestrating the 2022 Nord Stream gas pipeline attacks.
Let’s bring you up to speed: The Nord Stream pipelines, consisting of Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, were major Russian infrastructure projects designed to transport natural gas from Russia directly to Germany. These pipelines were built to bypass traditional transit countries like Ukraine. On September 26, 2022, both pipelines were targeted by underwater explosions.
What Lavrov said: In a statement, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said, “The United States – nobody has any doubt left thus far – is behind explosions at Nord Streams, which left Europe without the cheap Russian fuel and accordingly without the sustainable base of economic development.” He added, “It is clear that to carry out such a terrorist attack, there was a command from the very top, as they say. The very top for the West is, of course, Washington.” Other than the accusations, Lavrov provided no evidence to support his claims.
Recent arrest warrant issued by Germany: Despite Lavrov’s claims, Germany recently issued a warrant for “Volodymyr Z,” a Ukrainian man suspected of sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines in September 2022. Believed to be a professional diver, he allegedly helped plant explosives on the pipelines, disrupting Russian gas supplies to Europe. When the warrant was issued in June, “Volodymyr Z” was living in Poland but fled the country before authorities could detain him. German authorities linked the suspect to the explosion by various means, including tracking a van with Ukrainian license plates. A speed camera on Rügen Island reportedly observed the van just before the blasts.”
Ukraine responds to allegation: In a statement, Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said, “Such an act can only be carried out with extensive technical and financial resources… and who possessed all this at the time of the bombing? Only Russia. Ukraine has nothing to do with the Nord Stream explosions.”
A couple of other theories: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh claimed that the United States was behind sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines. He alleged (through a confidential source) that the Biden administration ordered the covert operation to destroy the energy link between Russia and Europe as part of a strategy to weaken Russia amid the war in Ukraine.
Some have accused Russia of being involved, citing “unusual” Russian naval movements in the area days before the explosion. Denmark confirmed that a Russian submarine rescue ship was photographed in the same location four days prior.
