US has intelligence on Ukraine's plan to attack Nord Stream

World - US has intelligence about Ukraine's plan to attack Nord Stream — The logo of Nord Stream 2 AG on an office building in Zug, Switzerland March 1, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann.

The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing leaked information circulating online, that the US government had intelligence on a Ukrainian government plan to attack the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline, which was laid three months before the pipeline was damaged by an underground explosion in September 2022.

According to this newspaper, in June 2022, the CIA, through a spy agency in Europe, discovered a group of six Ukrainian special forces members intending to destroy the gas pipeline project from Russia to Germany.

The intelligence was leaked on the Discord platform by Jack Teixeira, a member of the US Air National Guard, who was arrested in April on charges of leaking sensitive US government documents. The Washington Post said it received a copy of the documents from an online friend of Teixeira.

The Washington Post said the intelligence report was based on information provided by a person in Ukraine. The newspaper also said the CIA shared the intelligence with Germany and other European countries in June 2022.

According to the newspaper, officials from several countries have confirmed that the intelligence leaked on the Discord platform matches exactly the information that European agencies provided to the CIA.

On Monday, White House spokesman John Kirby said investigations into the planned attack on the Nord Stream pipeline have been launched.

When asked about the Washington Post's reporting on the matter, he said: “We do not want to comment before these investigations have concluded.”

The armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022 has brought Europe’s dependence on Russian natural gas supplies into the political spotlight, and the Nord Stream pipeline has accelerated the region’s transition to other fuel sources.

Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, each consisting of two pipelines, are being built by Russian state-owned company Gazprom, to pump up to 110 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas per year to Germany.

The Washington Post has agreed to keep secret the name of the European intelligence agency and some aspects of the plan that was uncovered at the request of government officials, citing concerns about risk to sources and intelligence operations.

The CIA did not respond to a request for comment. Reuters was unable to verify the intelligence cited by the Washington Post.

In September 2022, multiple underground explosions damaged the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and the newly built Nord Stream 2 pipeline connecting Russia with Germany across the Baltic Sea.

The explosions occurred in the exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Both countries believe the explosions were intentional, but no one has yet been identified as responsible. Investigations are ongoing between these countries and Germany.

Washington and NATO have described the incident as “sabotage.” Moscow has blamed Western countries, accusing investigators of stalling to cover up who was behind the attack.

Nguyen Quang Minh (according to Reuters)

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