Sabotage fears after several gas leaks are identified in Nord Stream pipelines
euronews.comDanish and Swedish authorities have issued navigation warnings after two gas leaks were identified on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which the Kremlin shut down earlier this month for an indefinite period of time in retaliation for Western sanctions.
The warnings came shortly after a separate gas leak was detected on a second pipeline, Nord Stream 2, a highly controversial project that was frozen by the German government days prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and never became operational.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said sabotage could not be excluded as an explanation for the events.
"It is too early to conclude yet, but it is an extraordinary situation," she said, speaking to reporter in Poland. "There are three leaks, and therefore it is difficult to imagine that it could be accidental."
The European Commission said it was still premature to speculate.
"We are following developments very closely," a spokesperson said, noting the negative impact of leaked methane on the environment. "This hasn't affected our security of supply as of yet."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the news "very concerning" and said no option should be "ruled out right now," including sabotage.
Neither pipeline is currently carrying gas to Europe, although a certain level of supplies remains inside the infrastructure.
The cause behind the leaks was not immediately clear. An investigation is underway.
"The damage that occurred in one day simultaneously at three lines of offshore pipelines of the Nord Stream system are unprecedented," said Nord Stream AG, the consortium responsible for the pipelines. "It is impossible to estimate the timeframe for the recovery of the gas transport infrastructure so far."
The first leak, through Nord
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