The attack on the Nord Stream pipelines last year was likely carried out by a pro-Ukrainian group of Ukrainian or Russian nationals, according to new intelligence examined by US officials, although the intelligence did not come to any definitive conclusions, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
The newspaper said, citing American officials, that there was no proof that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or his senior lieutenants were involved or that the perpetrators were working under the orders of any Ukrainian government officials.
The strikes on the gas pipelines in September 2022 that released gas into the Baltic Sea were referred to by the United States and NATO as “an act of sabotage,” while Russia placed the blame on the West. There is no proof from either side.
‘Very timely’
The New York Times’ report on possible suspects in the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines last year, according to Russia’s deputy UN envoy, “only proves that our initiative on launching an international investigation under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General is very timely,” he said on Tuesday.
Russia intends to demand a vote in the UN Security Council on its draft resolution urging Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to create such an inquiry by the end of March, according to Deputy Russian UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy.
Ukraine denies involvement
A top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Kyiv was “absolutely not involved” in last year’s attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines and had no information about what happened.
After the publication of a New York Times story quoting US sources and implying a pro-Ukrainian organization was involved, Mykhailo Podolyak made the remarks in a statement to Reuters.
