Get 40% Off
🤯 This Tech Portfolio is up 29% YTD! Join Now to Get April’s Top PicksGet The Picks – Just 99 USD

Russia: U.S. has questions to answer over Nord Stream explosions

Published 02/08/2023, 10:46 AM
Updated 02/08/2023, 11:32 AM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A wind gauge flutters over the landfall facility of the Baltic Sea gas pipeline Nord Stream 1 in Lubmin, Germany, September 19, 2022. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A wind gauge flutters over the landfall facility of the Baltic Sea gas pipeline Nord Stream 1 in Lubmin, Germany, September 19, 2022. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

(Reuters) - Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday the United States had questions to answer over its role in explosions on the undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines last year.

Commenting on a report published earlier on Wednesday that said the United States was involved in the explosions, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called on the White House to comment on the "facts" that had been presented.

Reuters was unable to verify the report, published by U.S. investigative journalist Seymour Hersh on his blog, alleging U.S. involvement in the explosions.

The White House said on Wednesday that Hersh's account was "utterly false and complete fiction".

Moscow, without providing evidence, has repeatedly said the West was behind the explosions affecting the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines last September - multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects that carried Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea.

Western officials have denied those accusations.

"The White House must now comment on all these facts," Zakharova said in a post on her Telegram page where she summarised Hersh's main claims regarding the alleged U.S. involvement.

Investigators from Sweden and Denmark - in whose exclusive economic zones the explosions occurred - have said the ruptures were a result of sabotage, but have not said who they believe was responsible.

Russia said the countries "have something to hide" and are purposefully blocking Russia out from the investigation.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A wind gauge flutters over the landfall facility of the Baltic Sea gas pipeline Nord Stream 1 in Lubmin, Germany, September 19, 2022. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

Construction of Nord Stream 2, designed to double the amount of gas Russia could send directly to Germany under the sea, was completed in September 2021, but was never put into operation after Berlin shelved certification just days before Moscow sent its troops into Ukraine in February.

(This story has been corrected to say that blasts were inside exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Denmark, not in their "territorial waters")

Latest comments

Russia is throwing another hissy fit.....
First things first. What has Russia to say about MH17?
Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.