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Why have the Nord Stream pipeline explosions not been decoded? 0
(Dan Tri) – As investigators gathered clues, Russia began taking steps to repair the giant gas pipeline, a job that is expected to be very expensive.
Pipelines left over from the construction of Nord Stream 2 in Sassnitz, Germany (Photo: NYT).
The gas leak incident of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline system (Nord Stream 2) at the bottom of the Baltic Sea in September is still a mysterious incident.
As investigators are still gathering clues, Russia has taken steps to begin repairs to the massive gas pipeline, which is expected to be very expensive.
Was the incident predicted?
More than 15 years ago, when the Nord Stream gas pipeline between Russia and Germany was just an idea, the Swedish government published research warning about the risks inherent in operating part of the infrastructure.
Analysts say the pipeline would be `extremely vulnerable` to even the `most rudimentary form of vandalism` and that underwater safety monitoring would be almost `impossible`.
A 2007 study by the Swedish Defense Research Agency even presented a scenario: `Just one diver is enough to plan a destructive explosion.`
Currently, European investigators are almost facing that scenario.
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Four leaks (red points) on two Nord Stream pipelines (Graphic: Guardian).
On September 26, fuel leaks were recorded on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines. Of these 4 leaks, 2 are in Sweden’s exclusive economic zone and 2 are
Russian, US and European Union (EU) authorities said the incident may have been the result of a targeted attack.
The West and Russia exchanged words, blaming each other regarding the leaked Nord Stream pipeline.
Therefore, the parties opened investigations into the incident, one of which was a Swedish investigation.
`We did not find specific evidence,` the New York Times quoted Mr. Daniel Stenling, Commander of the Swedish Security Agency’s (SEPO) counterintelligence force, as saying.
However, according to Sputnik, Swedish investigators may have resolved the case but remained silent with Western allies based on strategic calculations.
The Nord Stream incident is therefore still a controversial issue.
In the age of satellite surveillance, amid an energy crisis and a state of alarm over the Ukraine conflict, someone could have set off an explosive bomb and left without a trace.
The Baltic Sea, it turns out, is a mysterious crime scene.
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Gas leaked on a pipeline in the Nord Stream system in September (Photo: NYT).
Niklas Rossbach, deputy director of the Swedish Defense Research Agency, said: `The important question is not how monitoring is carried out but why there is such a lack of monitoring of this pipeline system.
Who is behind the incident?
The Baltic Sea is considered a giant `graveyard` for unexploded weapons and chemical weapons after the World War.
Officials in the region said that several countries along the Baltic Sea, including Russia, have teams of divers specializing in underwater operations.
After the explosions, Poland and Ukraine publicly blamed Russia but did not provide evidence.
Moscow has repeatedly been accused of using energy for influence and has an interest in breaking alliances in Europe.
In recent weeks, Nord Stream AG, a company owned by Gazprom, has begun calculating the costs of repairing the pipeline and restoring gas flows, according to an official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Initial repair estimates are around $500 million.
But like any mysterious incident, there are still many conspiracy theories.
Nord Stream includes two projects, each consisting of a pair of concrete-encased steel pipes with a diameter of more than 1.2m and a length of more than 1,100km.
The first pair, Nord Stream I, became operational in 2011. The system meets Germany’s need for cheap, reliable Russian gas while Moscow wants to reduce its dependence on gas pipelines.
At that time, most European countries, along with the United States, opposed Nord Stream I. Sweden strongly objected because the project was planned right near their coast, on the grounds that `it could be attacked by Russia`.
But the biggest argument is that Nord Stream will make Europe too dependent on Russian gas, giving Moscow important political leverage over the European Union (EU).
Immediately after Nord Stream 1 became operational, Russia began promoting the construction of another set of pipelines.
Construction was completed in September 2021, and as Russian soldiers gathered on the border with Ukraine, Ukrainian officials considered the pipeline a security threat.
Although Ukraine is suspected of being behind it, it does not have the ability to take such action.
Many Western countries blame Russia.
With little evidence on the seabed, investigations into this incident are unlikely to make a breakthrough without relying on intelligence agencies’ wiretaps and human resources.
To date, American and European intelligence agencies have not publicly shared any data they may have collected.