It was “complete nonsense” that private, non-state actors were behind the attacks on the two Nord Stream pipelines last September, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He is responding to claims from US intelligence circles that a “pro-Ukrainian group” did this.
It is still unclear who was actually behind the attacks on the two Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea last September. Since there was no really independent investigation and important details are withheld from the public, there is mainly only speculation – and of course various smoke grenades from the western secret services.
Now, following the report launched by the CIA in the “New York Times” that a “pro-Ukrainian group” was behind the attacks and not a force led by British and American special forces, the Russian President has also spoken out. According to state media, Putin’s full statement, made during a visit to an aircraft plant in Russia’s Republic of Buryatia, reads as follows: “I’m sure this is complete nonsense. An explosion of this kind – with such power, at such depth – can only be carried out by specialists and supported by the full might of a state that has certain technologies.”
1/3 Putin in interview: Statements that the terrorist act at Nord Stream pipelines was committed by certain Ukrainian activists not affiliated with official Kiev are downright nonsense. I am confident this is utter nonsense.
— MK Bhadrakumar (@BhadraPunchline) March 15, 2023
Instead, according to the Russian head of state, the United States in particular had motives for blowing up the pipelines. This is how the flow of cheap Russian gas to Europe could be stopped and its own liquid gas exports increased. Europe, which is poor in (energy) raw materials, has thus moved from one dependency to another.
1/2 Putin, asked why Berlin remained silent and inactive regarding the Nord Stream sabotage: “Even European politicians themselves have repeatedly acknowledged publicly that Germany has never been a fully sovereign country after the Second World War…
— MK Bhadrakumar (@BhadraPunchline) March 15, 2023
Putin also scolded the European heads of state and government for remaining silent on the incident. He accused them of reflecting what he saw as Europe’s subservient position towards the US. “Europeans have lost a gene of independence, sovereignty and national interest,” Putin said with a smirk. “The more you smack them on the nose or on the head, the lower they bend and the bigger their smile.”
Vladimir Putin on the sabotage at Nord Stream: It is very difficult for us to conduct our own investigation [of the Nord Stream explosions] if we are not allowed to the site of this terrorist attack. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/36ghwEibPs
— 🅰pocalypsis 🅰pocalypseos 🇷🇺 🇨🇳 🅉 (@apocalypseos) March 14, 2023
Vladimir Putin, who himself used to work for the Soviet foreign secret service KGB, also knows that disinformation is one of the main tasks of the secret services. The claim by the US intelligence services that an ominous, obscure “pro-Ukrainian” group was behind this is obviously one of them for him.
The well-known US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh had previously claimed, citing US government circles, that the attacks had been carried out under American-British leadership by special forces. This was vehemently denied by Washington and London.