From September 6, 2022, the Greek-flagged tanker Minerva Julie was in the Baltic Sea for a week near the sites where the Russian Nord Streams were blown up.
Business Insider writes about it.
Danish analyst Oliver Alexander drew attention to this. He noticed that the tanker was on its way from Rotterdam, spent seven days (from September 6 to 12) in the Baltic Sea, and then went to Tallinn. The ship anchored in St. Petersburg, Russia, on September 18. The explosion on Russian gas pipelines occurred on September 26.
The data revealed by the analyst do not indicate that the Minerva Julie tanker was involved in the explosions on the Nord Streams. However, his crew could become an accidental witness of sabotage on the pipelines. The tanker was in roughly the same location as the yacht, which, according to German media, may have been carrying explosives.
The owner of the Minerva Julie confirmed the vesselʼs stop in the Baltic Sea. According to him, this is standard practice — the tanker crew was waiting for updated instructions on the flight.
- In September 2022, a decrease in pressure began to be recorded on the Nord Streams. There were four gas leaks on the pipelines. 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. Swedish special services found confirmation of sabotage.
- The American edition of The New York Times, citing sources and intelligence data, wrote that the explosions on the Russian gas pipelines Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 could have been arranged by a pro-Ukraine group "opponents of Putin". It allegedly included Russians and Ukrainians. The British newspaper The Times wrote that Western intelligence agencies have long known the name of the Ukrainian who allegedly financed the sabotage of the Nord Streams, but decided not to reveal his identity in order to protect Ukraine.
- The Reuters agency wrote that the yacht, which probably transported explosives for the Russian Nordic Streams, is being sought in Denmark.
- During a press conference with the Prime Minister of Finland Sanna Marin on March 10, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky denied Ukraineʼs involvement in sabotage on the Nord Streams.