Both Sweden and Denmark have stated that they believe the pipes were deliberately blown up, but none has stated who may be to blame. Meanwhile, Russia has stated that the latest allegations might serve as the basis for an international probe.
The White House has refuted suggestions the US was behind the explosions of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, stating reports to be “utterly baseless”.
According to the claims, which were reported by investigative writer Seymour Hersh, the bombings last September were carried out on orders from President Joe Biden.
However the claims have been shut down by a spokeswoman for the White House National Council, who added that it was “utterly false and pure fiction”.
The reported results, which have not been confirmed by Reuters, have also been criticised by CIA and State Department representatives.
The United States and NATO have labelled the incident “an act of sabotage,” while Sweden and Denmark have both concluded that the pipelines were deliberately blown up.
Neither country has said anything about who might be behind the strikes.
Moscow has blamed the West for the unexplained explosions, saying the US must address questions about its participation in what may have occurred.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov stated that the US would face “consequences,” but provided no evidence.
Ryabkov further stated that the claims presented in the post came as “no surprise” to Moscow because it was evident from the start who stood to benefit from destroying the pipelines.
What exactly is Nord Stream 2?
Nord Stream 2 was built to quadruple the amount of gas that Russia could export to Germany over the Baltic Sea.
It was finished in September 2021, but it was never used because Berlin halted certification just days before Moscow moved soldiers into Ukraine in February 2022.
The project costs $11 billion (£8 billion) and stretches into the Baltic Sea, beginning near Narva Bay in the Ust-Luga district of Russia’s Leningrad region.
