The Ministry of Defense did not provide evidence for his claim. It said “British specialists” from the same unit directed Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian Black Sea Fleet ships in Crimea earlier on Saturday, which it said were largely repulsed by Russian forces, with minor damage to a Russian minesweeper. . “According to the available information, representatives of this unit of the British Navy participated in the planning, provision and implementation of a terrorist attack in the Baltic Sea on September 26 of this year – blowing up the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. “, the ministry said. Britain’s Ministry of Defense declined to comment immediately when asked by Reuters about the Russian claim. A sharp drop in pressure in both pipelines was recorded on September 26 and seismologists detected explosions, sparking a wave of speculation about sabotage in one of Russia’s most important energy corridors. Reuters was unable to verify any of the conflicting claims about who was responsible for the damage. Russia has previously blamed the West for the explosions that ruptured the Russian-built Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. However, Russia has not previously given specific details about who it believes is responsible for the damage to the pipelines, which were previously the longest routes for Russian gas supplies to Europe.
PIPES MYSTERY
Sweden and Denmark have concluded that four leaks in Nord Stream 1 and 2 were caused by explosions, but have not said who might be responsible. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called the damage an act of sabotage. Sweden has ordered additional investigations into the damage caused to the pipelines, the prosecutor in charge of the case said in a statement on Friday. The Kremlin has repeatedly said claims of Russian responsibility for the damage were “nonsense” and Russian officials said Washington was motivated as it wants to sell more liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe. The United States denied involvement. The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines have a combined annual capacity of 110 billion cubic meters – more than half of Russia’s normal gas export volume. Sections of the 1,224-kilometer (760-mile) long pipelines, which run from Russia to Germany, lie at a depth of about 80-110 meters. Russia said Ukrainian forces attacked ships from the Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol, the largest city in Russian-annexed Crimea, in the early hours of Saturday. “Nine unmanned aerial vehicles and seven autonomous maritime drones took part in the attack,” the defense ministry said. “The preparation of this terrorist act and the training of the servicemen of the Ukrainian 73rd Special Naval Operations Center was carried out under the guidance of British specialists located in the city of Ochakiv.” All aircraft were destroyed, although the minesweeper Ivan Golubets was slightly damaged. Sevastopol is the headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Reporting by Reuters Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Frances Kerry Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
