Western intelligence agencies have long known the name of the Ukrainian who allegedly financed the sabotage of the Nord Streams in the Baltic Sea. They decided not to reveal his identity in order to protect Ukraine.
The Times writes about it.
The journalists claim that the employees of the unnamed Scandinavian delegation in Brussels received intelligence that it was not Americans, Russians or Poles who were behind the gas pipeline bombings, but a private sponsor from Ukraine. Sources of The Times claim that this person is connected to President Zelenskyʼs government.
The publication writes that the name of the Ukrainian sponsor was not disclosed, because NATO wanted to protect Ukraine from a public quarrel with Germany, which at the time was delaying the delivery of military aid, in particular tanks and anti-aircraft defense needed by Ukraine.
"His name will definitely emerge, especially considering that he left a kind of business card," the article says.
According to The Times, the multi-level operation to blow up the Nord Streams involved a yacht, elite divers, fake passports and charges of expensive cumulative explosives, available only to representatives of the gas and oil industry with a special license.
The German editions SWR and Zeit wrote that the investigation in Germany established a yacht used for sabotage and believes that it is somehow connected with Ukraine. The yacht was rented from a Polish company, probably owned by two Ukrainians. The investigation specifies that the sabotage team consisted of six people — the captain, two divers, two assistant divers and a female doctor.
Citing sources and intelligence, The New York Times reported that the explosions on the Russian gas pipelines Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 could have been carried out by a pro-Ukrainian group of "Putinʼs opponents". It allegedly included Russians and Ukrainians.
- On September 26, 2022, in one day, the Russians recorded a drop in pressure at once on two of their gas pipelines to Europe — Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2, which were never put into operation. Both gas pipelines are almost not working and are not pumping gas from Russia to Europe. Nord Stream 2 was never launched due to the invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine, but Nord Stream was almost completely stopped in the summer allegedly due to discovered problems. Initially, three gas leaks were recorded on the pipelines, and already on September 29, Sweden reported about the fourth.
- The countries of the EU, the USA and NATO believe that the pipelines were sabotaged. Seismologists said that they recorded underwater explosions in the leakage zones.
- On October 1, gas leaks from Nord Stream 2 stopped, and on October 2 — from Nord Stream. On October 6, the Swedish special services found confirmation of sabotage.