Nord Stream: Dramatic footage shows boiling seas as Putin accused of sabotaging pipeline
(AND WHY WOULD RUSSIA DO THAT)
James Hockaday
Wed, September 28, 2022
Watch: Footage by Danish military shows 'boiling' water in Baltic Sea after Nord Stream gas pipeline leaks
Video shows boiling seas above broken Nord Stream pipelines
Footage showing bubbles rushing to the ocean's surface has been released by Denmark following "unprecedented" leaks from two Russian gas pipelines.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation among European leaders, who have accused Putin of deliberately sabotaging the pipe.
Two mysterious leaks were detected earlier this week at the Nord Stream 1 pipeline - which stopped delivering gas to Europe last month - northeast of the Danish island of Bornholm.
A third has also been detected at the newer Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is filled with gas but was pulled from commercial operations by Germany in February days before Russia sent troops into Ukraine.
Danish authorities said the largest leak has caused a disturbance of well over 1 kilometre in diameter on the water's surface.
Analysts say such leaks are very rare and operator Nord Stream AG has described the current incident, detected on Monday, as "unprecedented".
Read more: US Warns Russia of 'Catastrophic' Consequences if Nuclear Weapons Are Used in Ukraine
Ships have been urged to stay clear of the site as the bubbling water could mean they lose buoyancy. (Getty Images)
Read more: Mobilisation in Russia: conscription notices being issued on Georgian border
While it could be down to technical malfunctions or a lack of maintenance, Western leaders have pointed to foul play.
Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki said: "We don't know all the details of what happened, but we see clearly that it's an act of sabotage related to the next step of escalation of the situation in Ukraine."
“Based on the information we have seen so far, much indicates acts of sabotage,” said Norweigan oil and energy minister Terje Aasland.
Mykhailo Podolyak, aide to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accused Russia of a “terrorist attack” against the EU to “destabilise the economic situation in Europe and cause pre-winter panic”.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warned of the "strongest possible response" should active European energy infrastructure be attacked.
After speaking to Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, she said it was paramount to investigate and get full clarity on the "events and why".
The Kremlin has said it did not rule out sabotage as a reason behind the damage, adding it was an issue affecting the energy security of the "entire continent".
Kristoffer Bottzauw, head of Denmark's Energy Agency, said it could take a week for gas to stop draining out of Nord Stream 2, as ships are warned to keep a five-mile radius from the site to avoid losing buoyancy.
"The sea surface is full of methane, which means there is an increased risk of explosions in the area," he added.
James Hockaday
Wed, September 28, 2022
Watch: Footage by Danish military shows 'boiling' water in Baltic Sea after Nord Stream gas pipeline leaks
Video shows boiling seas above broken Nord Stream pipelines
Footage showing bubbles rushing to the ocean's surface has been released by Denmark following "unprecedented" leaks from two Russian gas pipelines.
The incident has sparked widespread condemnation among European leaders, who have accused Putin of deliberately sabotaging the pipe.
Two mysterious leaks were detected earlier this week at the Nord Stream 1 pipeline - which stopped delivering gas to Europe last month - northeast of the Danish island of Bornholm.
A third has also been detected at the newer Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is filled with gas but was pulled from commercial operations by Germany in February days before Russia sent troops into Ukraine.
Danish authorities said the largest leak has caused a disturbance of well over 1 kilometre in diameter on the water's surface.
Analysts say such leaks are very rare and operator Nord Stream AG has described the current incident, detected on Monday, as "unprecedented".
Read more: US Warns Russia of 'Catastrophic' Consequences if Nuclear Weapons Are Used in Ukraine
Ships have been urged to stay clear of the site as the bubbling water could mean they lose buoyancy. (Getty Images)
Read more: Mobilisation in Russia: conscription notices being issued on Georgian border
While it could be down to technical malfunctions or a lack of maintenance, Western leaders have pointed to foul play.
Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki said: "We don't know all the details of what happened, but we see clearly that it's an act of sabotage related to the next step of escalation of the situation in Ukraine."
“Based on the information we have seen so far, much indicates acts of sabotage,” said Norweigan oil and energy minister Terje Aasland.
Mykhailo Podolyak, aide to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accused Russia of a “terrorist attack” against the EU to “destabilise the economic situation in Europe and cause pre-winter panic”.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warned of the "strongest possible response" should active European energy infrastructure be attacked.
After speaking to Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen, she said it was paramount to investigate and get full clarity on the "events and why".
The Kremlin has said it did not rule out sabotage as a reason behind the damage, adding it was an issue affecting the energy security of the "entire continent".
Kristoffer Bottzauw, head of Denmark's Energy Agency, said it could take a week for gas to stop draining out of Nord Stream 2, as ships are warned to keep a five-mile radius from the site to avoid losing buoyancy.
"The sea surface is full of methane, which means there is an increased risk of explosions in the area," he added.
Kremlin dismisses 'stupid' claims Russia attacked Nord Stream
FILE PHOTO: Pipes at the landfall facilities of the 'Nord Stream 1' gas pipline in Lubmin
Wed, September 28, 2022
MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin on Wednesday said claims that Russia was somehow behind a possible attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines were stupid, adding that the United States had opposed the pipelines and its companies had made big profits supplying gas to Europe.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a daily conference call with reporters that the incident needed to be investigated and the timings for repair of the damaged pipelines were not clear.
Asked about claims Russia might be behind the possible attack, Peskov said: "That's quite predictable and also predictably stupid."
"This is a big problem for us because, firstly, both lines of Nord Stream 2 are filled with gas - the entire system is ready to pump gas and the gas is very expensive... Now the gas is flying off into the air."
"Are we interested in that? No, we are not, we have lost a route for gas supplies to Europe," Peskov said.
Europe has been investigating what Germany, Denmark and Sweden said were attacks which had caused major leaks into the Baltic Sea from two Russian gas pipelines at the centre of an energy standoff.
"We see the huge profits of the U.S. suppliers of liquefied natural gas, who increased their supplies many-fold to the European continent," Peskov said. "They are very, very interested in further receiving their super, super profits."
The United States plans to supply at least 15 billion cubic metres (bcm) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to European Union markets this year as Europe seeks to wean itself off Russian gas supplies.
Russia, which slashed gas deliveries to Europe after the West imposed sanctions over Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, has said sabotage was a possibility and that the leaks undermined the continent's energy security.
"Before making any claims, we should wait for investigation into these ruptures, whether there was an explosion or not," Peskov said. Information on the incident could be expected from Denmark and Sweden, he said.
Nord Stream AG, the operator of the network, said on Tuesday that three of four offshore lines of the Nord Stream gas pipeline system sustained "unprecedented" damage in one day. All Nord Stream's pipeline had not delivered gas by the time of the incident.
Nord Stream 1 has reported a significant pressure drop caused by the gas leak on both lines of the gas pipeline, while Nord Stream 2 said that a sharp pressure drop in line A was registered on Monday.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov and Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
FILE PHOTO: Pipes at the landfall facilities of the 'Nord Stream 1' gas pipline in Lubmin
Wed, September 28, 2022
MOSCOW (Reuters) -The Kremlin on Wednesday said claims that Russia was somehow behind a possible attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines were stupid, adding that the United States had opposed the pipelines and its companies had made big profits supplying gas to Europe.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a daily conference call with reporters that the incident needed to be investigated and the timings for repair of the damaged pipelines were not clear.
Asked about claims Russia might be behind the possible attack, Peskov said: "That's quite predictable and also predictably stupid."
"This is a big problem for us because, firstly, both lines of Nord Stream 2 are filled with gas - the entire system is ready to pump gas and the gas is very expensive... Now the gas is flying off into the air."
"Are we interested in that? No, we are not, we have lost a route for gas supplies to Europe," Peskov said.
Europe has been investigating what Germany, Denmark and Sweden said were attacks which had caused major leaks into the Baltic Sea from two Russian gas pipelines at the centre of an energy standoff.
"We see the huge profits of the U.S. suppliers of liquefied natural gas, who increased their supplies many-fold to the European continent," Peskov said. "They are very, very interested in further receiving their super, super profits."
The United States plans to supply at least 15 billion cubic metres (bcm) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to European Union markets this year as Europe seeks to wean itself off Russian gas supplies.
Russia, which slashed gas deliveries to Europe after the West imposed sanctions over Moscow's military operation in Ukraine, has said sabotage was a possibility and that the leaks undermined the continent's energy security.
"Before making any claims, we should wait for investigation into these ruptures, whether there was an explosion or not," Peskov said. Information on the incident could be expected from Denmark and Sweden, he said.
Nord Stream AG, the operator of the network, said on Tuesday that three of four offshore lines of the Nord Stream gas pipeline system sustained "unprecedented" damage in one day. All Nord Stream's pipeline had not delivered gas by the time of the incident.
Nord Stream 1 has reported a significant pressure drop caused by the gas leak on both lines of the gas pipeline, while Nord Stream 2 said that a sharp pressure drop in line A was registered on Monday.
(Reporting by Dmitry Antonov and Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
How to say stupid in RussianWhat's the Russian word for stupid? Here's a list of translations.
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Kremlin: sabotage cannot be ruled out as reason for Nord Stream damage
The logo of Nord Stream is seen at the headquarters of Nord Stream AG in Zug
Tue, September 27, 2022
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Tuesday that it did not rule out sabotage as a reason behind damage to the Russia-built network of Nord Stream pipelines which sprung unexplained leaks in the Baltic Sea.
The pipelines, designed to bring gas from Western Siberia's Yamal Peninsula directly to Germany, Europe's biggest economy, have been the focus of an energy war between Russia and its traditional European clients over the conflict in Ukraine.
Nord Stream AG, the operator of the network, said earlier on Tuesday that three offshore lines of the Nord Stream gas pipeline system sustained "unprecedented" damage in one day.
Asked if sabotage was the reason for the damage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "No option can be ruled out right now."
The Kremlin, Peskov said, was very concerned by the situation, which required prompt investigation as it was an issue affecting the energy security of the "entire continent".
"This is a very concerning news. Indeed, we are talking about some damage of an unclear nature to the pipeline in Denmark's economic zone," Peskov said. "This is an issue related to the energy security of the entire continent."
The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines have a joint annual capacity of 110 billion cubic metres - more than half of Russia's normal gas exports volumes.
Sweden's Maritime Authority issued a warning about two leaks in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, shortly after a leak on the nearby Nord Stream 2 pipeline was discovered that had prompted Denmark to restrict shipping in a five nautical mile radius.
Nord Stream AG said it was impossible to estimate when the gas network system's working capability would be restored.
Each line of the pipeline consists of about 100,000 24-tonne concrete-weight coated steel pipes laid on the seabed of the Baltic Sea. The pipelines have a constant internal diameter of 1.153 metres, according to Nord Stream.
Sections of the pipelines lie at a depth of around 80-110 metres.
The 1,224 km-long Nord Stream 1 consists of two parallel pipelines with nameplate annual capacity of 27.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) each, running from Vyborg, Russia to the exit point in Lubmin, Germany. It started supplying Germany in 2011.
Flows via the pipeline, which had been working at only 20% of its capacity since July, were halted at the end of August and were not restarted following maintenance.
Nord Stream 2, which runs almost in parallel to Nord Stream 1, was built in September 2021 but was never launched as Germany refused to certify it. The project was halted altogether just days before Moscow sent its troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.
(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
The logo of Nord Stream is seen at the headquarters of Nord Stream AG in Zug
Tue, September 27, 2022
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Tuesday that it did not rule out sabotage as a reason behind damage to the Russia-built network of Nord Stream pipelines which sprung unexplained leaks in the Baltic Sea.
The pipelines, designed to bring gas from Western Siberia's Yamal Peninsula directly to Germany, Europe's biggest economy, have been the focus of an energy war between Russia and its traditional European clients over the conflict in Ukraine.
Nord Stream AG, the operator of the network, said earlier on Tuesday that three offshore lines of the Nord Stream gas pipeline system sustained "unprecedented" damage in one day.
Asked if sabotage was the reason for the damage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "No option can be ruled out right now."
The Kremlin, Peskov said, was very concerned by the situation, which required prompt investigation as it was an issue affecting the energy security of the "entire continent".
"This is a very concerning news. Indeed, we are talking about some damage of an unclear nature to the pipeline in Denmark's economic zone," Peskov said. "This is an issue related to the energy security of the entire continent."
The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines have a joint annual capacity of 110 billion cubic metres - more than half of Russia's normal gas exports volumes.
Sweden's Maritime Authority issued a warning about two leaks in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, shortly after a leak on the nearby Nord Stream 2 pipeline was discovered that had prompted Denmark to restrict shipping in a five nautical mile radius.
Nord Stream AG said it was impossible to estimate when the gas network system's working capability would be restored.
Each line of the pipeline consists of about 100,000 24-tonne concrete-weight coated steel pipes laid on the seabed of the Baltic Sea. The pipelines have a constant internal diameter of 1.153 metres, according to Nord Stream.
Sections of the pipelines lie at a depth of around 80-110 metres.
The 1,224 km-long Nord Stream 1 consists of two parallel pipelines with nameplate annual capacity of 27.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) each, running from Vyborg, Russia to the exit point in Lubmin, Germany. It started supplying Germany in 2011.
Flows via the pipeline, which had been working at only 20% of its capacity since July, were halted at the end of August and were not restarted following maintenance.
Nord Stream 2, which runs almost in parallel to Nord Stream 1, was built in September 2021 but was never launched as Germany refused to certify it. The project was halted altogether just days before Moscow sent its troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.
(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)
German officials reportedly believe the crucial Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines connecting Russia to Europe were sabotaged near a Danish island
Kate Duffy
Tue, September 27, 2022
Pressure in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines dropped sharply on Monday.Sean Gallup/Getty Images
German officials reportedly believe the Nord Stream Russia-Europe natural-gas pipelines were sabotaged.
The operator of the pipelines said Tuesday they'd suffered "unprecedented" damage in a single day.
It's not yet known who, or what, might have caused the damage.
German officials reportedly believe the crucial Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines connecting Russia to Europe have been sabotaged.
Der Tagesspiegel, a newspaper in Germany, where the pipelines land from Russia, reported a government source as saying: "We can't imagine a scenario that isn't a targeted attack. Everything speaks against a coincidence."
The Danish Navy has sent an Absalon-class frigate to site of the leaks for monitoring purposes and to warn ships to stay away, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation reported. A no-fly zone is in operation over the affected area, a German government official told Insider.
The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipeline systems are the largest for transporting natural-gas from Russia to Europe. Each system consists of two pipelines.
Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, the newer Nord Stream 2 system, which at the time was filled with natural-gas but wasn't operational, was suspended. And as the war has dragged on, Russia has gradually crimped supply through Nord Stream 1, which was fully-operational before the invasion.
The Danish Energy Agency said Monday it had discovered a leak in the Nord Stream 2 system near Bornholm, a Danish island in the Baltic Sea. The Swedish Maritime Authority said leaks had been detected in both Nord Steam 1 and Nord Stream 2 near Bornholm.
On Tuesday, Nord Stream AG, the operator of the pipelines, said: "The destruction that happened within one day at three lines of the Nord Stream pipeline system is unprecedented."
Jakob Hanke Vela, a Germany-based reporter for Politico, tweeted: "Accident highly unlikely, officials in Berlin believe both pipelines have been attacked."
Die Welt, another German publication, reported that the timing of the damage suggested sabotage, and was unlikely to be an accident.
Later Tuesday, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said the situation was "extraordinary" and it was "difficult to imagine" the damage was accidental.
Also later Tuesday, the Kremlin said it couldn't rule out sabotage, per Reuters.
A spokesperson for Germany's economy ministry told Insider it "doesn't participate in speculation." Germany's energy regulator, the Federal Network Agency, said in an email it was in the process of clarifying the situation.
"It seems extremely improbable that the leaks on two different pipelines happen at the same time," Mate usz Kubiak, energy analyst at the Warsaw-based Esper is consultancy, told Politico. "Therefore I think we should assume that it was intentional to create these leaks." Kubiak added that he didn't think it made sense for Ukraine or the West to sabotage the pipelines, per Politico.
Klaus Müller, president of Germany's Federal Network Agency, wrote in a Twitter post Monday the situation was "tense" but Germany and the European Union were no longer dependent on Nord Stream 1.
Since Russia halted gas supplies to Europe in early September, no gas has flowed through Nord Stream 1, the Federal Network Agency said. It added that storage levels in Germany were rising and were around 91% at the time of writing.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Kate Duffy
Tue, September 27, 2022
Pressure in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines dropped sharply on Monday.Sean Gallup/Getty Images
German officials reportedly believe the Nord Stream Russia-Europe natural-gas pipelines were sabotaged.
The operator of the pipelines said Tuesday they'd suffered "unprecedented" damage in a single day.
It's not yet known who, or what, might have caused the damage.
German officials reportedly believe the crucial Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines connecting Russia to Europe have been sabotaged.
Der Tagesspiegel, a newspaper in Germany, where the pipelines land from Russia, reported a government source as saying: "We can't imagine a scenario that isn't a targeted attack. Everything speaks against a coincidence."
The Danish Navy has sent an Absalon-class frigate to site of the leaks for monitoring purposes and to warn ships to stay away, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation reported. A no-fly zone is in operation over the affected area, a German government official told Insider.
The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipeline systems are the largest for transporting natural-gas from Russia to Europe. Each system consists of two pipelines.
Shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, the newer Nord Stream 2 system, which at the time was filled with natural-gas but wasn't operational, was suspended. And as the war has dragged on, Russia has gradually crimped supply through Nord Stream 1, which was fully-operational before the invasion.
The Danish Energy Agency said Monday it had discovered a leak in the Nord Stream 2 system near Bornholm, a Danish island in the Baltic Sea. The Swedish Maritime Authority said leaks had been detected in both Nord Steam 1 and Nord Stream 2 near Bornholm.
On Tuesday, Nord Stream AG, the operator of the pipelines, said: "The destruction that happened within one day at three lines of the Nord Stream pipeline system is unprecedented."
Jakob Hanke Vela, a Germany-based reporter for Politico, tweeted: "Accident highly unlikely, officials in Berlin believe both pipelines have been attacked."
Die Welt, another German publication, reported that the timing of the damage suggested sabotage, and was unlikely to be an accident.
Later Tuesday, Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen said the situation was "extraordinary" and it was "difficult to imagine" the damage was accidental.
Also later Tuesday, the Kremlin said it couldn't rule out sabotage, per Reuters.
A spokesperson for Germany's economy ministry told Insider it "doesn't participate in speculation." Germany's energy regulator, the Federal Network Agency, said in an email it was in the process of clarifying the situation.
"It seems extremely improbable that the leaks on two different pipelines happen at the same time," Mate usz Kubiak, energy analyst at the Warsaw-based Esper is consultancy, told Politico. "Therefore I think we should assume that it was intentional to create these leaks." Kubiak added that he didn't think it made sense for Ukraine or the West to sabotage the pipelines, per Politico.
Klaus Müller, president of Germany's Federal Network Agency, wrote in a Twitter post Monday the situation was "tense" but Germany and the European Union were no longer dependent on Nord Stream 1.
Since Russia halted gas supplies to Europe in early September, no gas has flowed through Nord Stream 1, the Federal Network Agency said. It added that storage levels in Germany were rising and were around 91% at the time of writing.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
SELF SABOTAGE? FALSE FLAG?
The CIA warned Germany weeks ago about a possible attack on the Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines, report says
Kate Duffy
Wed, September 28, 2022
The German government, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, was warned by US intelligence about potential attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines, per Der Spiegel.
Kate Duffy
Wed, September 28, 2022
The German government, led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, was warned by US intelligence about potential attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines, per Der Spiegel.
Danish Defence Command/Marcus Brandt/picture alliance via Getty Images
The CIA told Germany weeks ago the Nord Stream pipelines could be attacked, sources told Der Spiegel.
Three of the four pipelines are now spewing natural-gas into the Baltic Sea after suspected sabotage.
The pipelines were intended to be the main artery of natural-gas supply from Russia to Europe.
The US Central Intelligence Agency warned Germany weeks ago about potential attacks on the Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines, German magazine Der Spiegel reported Tuesday.
An anonymous source with knowledge of the matter told Der Spiegel the German government received a tip from the CIA this summer about potential attacks on the pipelines, which were intended to become the main artery for natural-gas supply from Russia to Europe. The magazine said several other unnamed individuals with knowledge of the matter had confirmed the CIA tip.
On Monday, three severe leaks were discovered on the four Nord Stream pipelines, which run from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream AG, the operator of the pipelines, said Tuesday the damage they'd sustained was "unprecedented."
The incident has deepened Europe's energy crisis, with gas flows from Russia to Europe now all but stopped. Germany, Europe's largest economy, was the world's leading consumer of Russian natural-gas until Moscow began crimping flows to Europe in response to Ukraine war sanctions.
"As a matter of principle, we do not take a public position on matters relating to any intelligence findings or activities of the intelligence services," a spokesperson for the German government told Der Spiegel.
The CIA and the German government didn't immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.
Images from the Swedish Coast Guard and the Danish military published Tuesday showed the effect of the leaks, with geysers of natural-gas erupting on the surface at three locations in the Baltic Sea. One of the disturbances was said to cover more than 1,000 meters.
European leaders suspect sabotage, although none have yet named a suspected perpetrator.
NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday he'd discussed the "sabotage" of the pipelines with the Danish defence minister, and they'd "addressed the protection of critical infrastructure" in NATO countries.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday: "These are deliberate actions. It was not an accident." The same day, European Union President Ursula von der Leyen described the act as "sabotage" that would trigger "the strongest possible response."
German media earlier Tuesday reported government officials as saying they believed the damage to the Nord Stream pipelines wasn't accidental. The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted the pipeline attacks were "not a coincidence and affect us all."
The Kremlin said Tuesday it couldn't rule out sabotage, per Reuters.
Danish Defence said an Absalon-class frigate and a pollution control ship had been sent to the area of the leaks for monitoring purposes and to warn other vessels to stay away.
The CIA told Germany weeks ago the Nord Stream pipelines could be attacked, sources told Der Spiegel.
Three of the four pipelines are now spewing natural-gas into the Baltic Sea after suspected sabotage.
The pipelines were intended to be the main artery of natural-gas supply from Russia to Europe.
The US Central Intelligence Agency warned Germany weeks ago about potential attacks on the Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines, German magazine Der Spiegel reported Tuesday.
An anonymous source with knowledge of the matter told Der Spiegel the German government received a tip from the CIA this summer about potential attacks on the pipelines, which were intended to become the main artery for natural-gas supply from Russia to Europe. The magazine said several other unnamed individuals with knowledge of the matter had confirmed the CIA tip.
On Monday, three severe leaks were discovered on the four Nord Stream pipelines, which run from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea. Nord Stream AG, the operator of the pipelines, said Tuesday the damage they'd sustained was "unprecedented."
The incident has deepened Europe's energy crisis, with gas flows from Russia to Europe now all but stopped. Germany, Europe's largest economy, was the world's leading consumer of Russian natural-gas until Moscow began crimping flows to Europe in response to Ukraine war sanctions.
"As a matter of principle, we do not take a public position on matters relating to any intelligence findings or activities of the intelligence services," a spokesperson for the German government told Der Spiegel.
The CIA and the German government didn't immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.
Images from the Swedish Coast Guard and the Danish military published Tuesday showed the effect of the leaks, with geysers of natural-gas erupting on the surface at three locations in the Baltic Sea. One of the disturbances was said to cover more than 1,000 meters.
European leaders suspect sabotage, although none have yet named a suspected perpetrator.
NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg said Wednesday he'd discussed the "sabotage" of the pipelines with the Danish defence minister, and they'd "addressed the protection of critical infrastructure" in NATO countries.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Tuesday: "These are deliberate actions. It was not an accident." The same day, European Union President Ursula von der Leyen described the act as "sabotage" that would trigger "the strongest possible response."
German media earlier Tuesday reported government officials as saying they believed the damage to the Nord Stream pipelines wasn't accidental. The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell tweeted the pipeline attacks were "not a coincidence and affect us all."
The Kremlin said Tuesday it couldn't rule out sabotage, per Reuters.
Danish Defence said an Absalon-class frigate and a pollution control ship had been sent to the area of the leaks for monitoring purposes and to warn other vessels to stay away.
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