The Kremlin said on Tuesday it was “extremely concerned” about the leaks discovered on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, considering that the “no” hypothesis, including sabotage, should not be ruled out.
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“We are very concerned about this news,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, describing the available information as “extremely worrying.”
“In fact, the pressure has dropped significantly” in the gas pipelines, he added. When asked about the possibility of sabotage, he replied: “No option can be ruled out.”
“It is clear that there is some kind of breakdown (…), but it is impossible to rule out anything before the results are available,” Mr. Peskov continued, stressing that the operation of Nord Stream 1 was a matter of “energy” for the security of the whole (European) continent.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, which were built to transport Russian gas to Europe, were affected by unexplained leaks in the Baltic Sea that were revealed by the Danish and Swedish authorities.
These two gas pipelines, operated by a consortium based on the Russian giant Gazprom, are at the center of tensions between Moscow and Europe in the context of the conflict in Ukraine.
Consequently, deliveries by Nord Stream 1, a gas pipeline supplying Germany and other European countries, have been officially suspended for technical reasons. Nord Stream 2 never delivered gas, for lack of a permit.
But the two tubes were still full of gas, which explains the leaks.
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