Germany Suspects Sabotage Hit Russia’s Nord Stream Gas Pipelines
- Denmark steps up security after unprecedented damage to links
- Benchmark European gas prices rise as much as 12% on
According to a German security official, the evidence points to a violent act rather than a technical issue. Gas leaks from three pipelines appeared almost simultaneously in the Baltic Sea, prompting Denmark to say it was stepping up security around its energy assets.
It’s the clearest signal yet that Europe will have to survive this winter -- at least -- without any significant Russian gas flows. The pipelines were already out of action, but any hope that Moscow might have turned the taps back on at some point have now been dashed. Gas prices jumped.
Pipeline Puzzle
Ukraine used to be a choke-point for Russian gas, but the expansion and construction of new pipelines has reduced its importance as a transit pointKremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that before the results of an investigation, it was premature to speculate on possible sabotage. “Nothing can be ruled out,” he said.
Russia has been squeezing energy supplies to Europe for months, engaging in a cat-and-mouse game as it tries to exert maximum pressure on Ukraine’s allies. Europe has responded by filling up gas stores and trying to source alternative supplies. For now, it looks like those efforts will be enough to get Europe through this winter, though questions remain over the following one. The bloc got about 40% of its pipeline gas from Russia before the war, a figure that now stands at about 9%.
It’s not the first time there have been suggestions of foul play at energy sites since the war started. European leaders have accused Moscow of weaponizing energy flows for months, and of using maintenance and repair issues as pretexts for halting supplies. Then last week, Russia said it had thwarted an attack on an oil and gas complex that supplies Europe.
