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Nord Stream gas leaks

Madrid Summit 2022

What happened? How did it happen? Who are the been outlined directly. There has been public caution
culprits? Who benefited from it? These are just some against making assumptions about who and why. “This
of the questions making headlines since September is something that is extremely important to get all the
26, 2022. There were three leaks in the Nord Stream 1 facts on the table, and therefore this is something we’ll
and 2 undersea pipelines running from Russia to look closely into in the coming hours and days.” Said
Germany under the Baltic Sea. A video was released by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Officials in
the Danish military showing gas bubbling to the several countries including Germany, Sweden, and
surface off Bornholm, a Danish island. There were a Denmark are investigating the origins of the leaks.
series of explosions and gas leaks that followed. The According to certain news reports, European security
Nord Stream 2 pipeline was detected to have officials observed Russian navy ships in the vicinity of
significant pressure drops on Monday and the Nord the Nord Stream. In private, however, many in Europe
Stream 1 pipeline to have another pressure drop, both suspect Russian sabotage since the Kremlin has a
of which led to a conclusion that there were three history of trying to weaponize energy. The Russian
separate leaks. Swedish seismologists have said government likely has the capability and equipment
underwater explosions caused these leaks. A leak from (divers or underwater drones) to conduct such an
a major pipeline is unusual, but a leak from a twin operation and is motivated to keep putting pressure
pipeline in a completely different location is even on Europe as Vladimir Putin intensifies his war effort.
more unprecedented. Considering that both pipelines He has implemented a mobilization effort that has
are a source of geopolitical tension resulting from the been met with resistance and chaos at home. As a
war in Ukraine, it is hard to interpret this as an result of the Ukraine invasion, Russia has been under
accident or coincidence. It is not a natural event. heavy sanctions from Western countries and the
According to NATO officials, sabotage is responsible Kremlin has already used energy infrastructure
for the leaks. Josep Borell, the EU’s foreign policy (specifically Nord Stream 1) as a tool to exert pressure
Chief, tweeted “Deliberate disruption of European on the West. There is a possibility that Russia is trying
energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will to convey clearly to Europe that it will not be getting
be met with a robust and united response.” Even gas from Russia, not this winter, not in the near
though European and US officials have referred to this future, and perhaps not ever again.
incident as deliberate, the potential suspects have not In contrast, the Russians stated a deliberate attack was

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