After both of Russia’s Nord Stream pipelines were damaged and a massive gas leak appeared off the Danish island of Bornholm and Sweden also reported two leaks, Germany appeared to be looking for answers.
German magazine Der Spiegel, however, reported on Tuesday that the CIA warned Berlin about a possible attack on gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea during the summer.
The outlet cited several people familiar with the matter, but the German federal government declined to comment on intelligence-related matters.
Both Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 suddenly lost pressure on Monday when gas leaks and explosions occurred causing unprecedented damage to multiple gas lines that were impossible to estimate along with the answer to when the service might be restored.
After examining satellite imagery of the area where the explosions occurred, German security services registered only unremarkable naval traffic but suggested that divers or a mini-submarine could have installed mines or explosives on the pipeline, stressing they’re convinced that only a state actor could have done that.
According to the daily Tagesspiegel, Berlin was convinced the pipeline was targeted in a deliberate attack, initially considering the possibility that Ukraine was behind the attacks or that Moscow pulled a false flag operation to blame Kyiv and additionally increase energy prices in the EU.
Meanwhile, former Polish minister and member of the European Parliament Radoslaw Sikorski had no qualm to praise the US for the gas explosions, noting it means that Moscow, if it wishes to deliver gas to Central Europe, will now be forced to negotiate with Ukraine and Poland
While the US reserved judgment as to who might be behind Monday’s explosion, US State Secretary Antony Blinken said the attack also represents a significant opportunity for Europe to completely abandon Russian natural gas in favor of alternative energy supplies, such as the American LNG.
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