Nato ‘will retaliate’ as it warns Nord Stream pipeline explosions could be sabotage

[Boats]

Nato ‘will retaliate’ as it warns Nord Stream pipeline explosions could be sabotage
By: Dean Kirby Investigations Correspondent - IC-News-UK - 09-29-22
Re: https://inews.co.uk/news/nato-retali...80?ITO=newsnow

1st - Photo link: https://wp.inews.co.uk/wp-content/up...all&quality=90
A large disturbance in the sea can be observed off the coast of the Danish island of Bornholm following a series of unusual leaks on the Nord Stream pipelines. (Photos: Danish Defence Command via AP)

Nato has warned it will retaliate against any attacks on the critical infrastructure of its 30 member states as it suggested the Nord Stream pipe explosions could be acts of sabotage.

The warning came as Sweden, which is in the process of joining the Western defence bloc, found a fourth leak in the Baltic Sea pipelines carrying Russian natural gas to the EU.

On Wednesday a US electronic surveillance plane was seen circling around the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, between Lithuania and Poland and is home to Russia’s Baltic Fleet, including submarines.

German, Swedish and Danish warships could be seen patrolling mid-sea.

The alliance said “all currently available information” indicates that the damage was the result of “deliberate, reckless and irresponsible acts of sabotage”.

2nd photo link: Re: https://wp.inews.co.uk/wp-content/up...resize=760,490
Nord Stream carries gas from Russia to Germany (Photo: Hannibal Hanschke)

Nato said: “These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage.”

In a statement, it added: “Any deliberate attack against allies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response.” They said that the damage to the pipelines between Russia and Germany “is of deep concern.”

Swedish coastguard official Mattias Lindholm confirmed a fourth leak on the pipelines, saying: “We have leakage at two positions” off Sweden. “There are two more off Denmark.”

Two of the leaks are on the Nord Stream 1 pipe that recently stopped supplying gas, while the other two are on Nord Stream 2 that never started operating.

Although they were not running, both pipelines were filled with gas, which has escaped and bubbled to the surface.

The Danish and Swedish governments believe the leaks off their countries were “deliberate actions.”

An EU official said the bloc’s leaders will discuss the issue next week, adding that the apparent sabotage had changed the nature of the conflict in Ukraine fundamentally.

CNN, citing three sources, reported that European security officials had observed Russian navy support ships and submarines near the sites of the Nord Stream leaks beforehand.

Before the leaks were reported, explosions were recorded by seismologists near the Danish island of Bornholm. Seismic stations in Denmark, Norway and Finland also registered the blasts.

[Some European officials and energy experts have said Russia is likely to blame for any sabotage.]

European countries said they will increase security around oil and gas installations. Politicians on the Continent have warned that the suspected sabotage could bring about a new era of hybrid warfare targeting energy infrastructure to undermine support for Ukraine.

Speaking on Wednesday, Sweden’s prime minister Magdalena Andersson said it would have taken a large explosive device to cause the damage.

Torben Ørting Jorgensen, a former admiral with the Danish navy, told the Associated Press that it was “not so demanding” to carry out an operation either by using a remotely operated underwater vehicle or sending divers from a submarine or a surface vessel.

“Those who carried out the operation knew they wouldn’t get caught,” he said. “Who would have thought of an operation against pipelines in the Baltic Sea?”

3rd photo link: https://wp.inews.co.uk/wp-content/up...resize=760,502
Vladimir Putin is attempting to annex four areas of Ukraine (Photo: Gavriil Grigorov /Sputnik/ AFP)

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the leaks would have been impossible without a state actor’s involvement.

But he dismissed media reports about Russian warships spotted in the area as “stupid and biased”, adding that “many more aircraft and vessels belonging to Nato countries have been spotted in the area.”

Russia claimed the US stands to benefit from the gas leaks. Washington and the EU are to impose more sanctions on Russia over Vladimir Putin’s expected announcement of the annexation of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk.

With tens of thousands of Russian men fleeing abroad to escape Putin’s military call-up, Finland has shut one of the few remaining routes to Europe, saying it will no longer let Russians enter by land with EU tourist visas.

Tags: Nato - Russia - Russia - Ukraine war - Ukraine
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Note: Stars & Stripes has a similar posting on this subject:
By: John Vandiver - Stars & Stripes News 09-29-22
Re: https://www.stripes.com/theaters/eur...e-7510883.html

This report includes a few more colorful comments & specific's on this subject matter.
Actually it's leakage as shown per the photo taken.
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1st Personal note:
To me it looks like it could be patched? - If not - something else will be needed.
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Boats
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2nd Personal note:
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Putin is looking anywhere he can to put leverage on the NATO alias. I don't doubt he
had something to do with this issue - with winter fast approaching & gas is needed
for winter heating and cooking. What is there NATO could do to equal the leverage
against Russia. What can they cut off to Russia that would hurt them as well -
short of going to war? Which seems most likely what Putin wants anyway.

Time will tell how NATO will deal with or get the gas back on line - or will Putin
continue to hurt them - one way or another - to get his way?
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Time Will Tell! - His people are against the war in Ukraine and their troops
don't want to waste their lives - such as did the earlier troops found out.
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What a shame many Russian's & Ukraine's are related to each other.
Nothing like killing your own brother/sister in a war; of which many -
may be one or more of your cousin's or related through marriage?
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