There is growing evidence that criminals linked to Ukraine may be behind the attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines, the news outlets said, adding that they were in Ukraine before and after the explosions in the Baltic Sea. This was indicated by technical data.
Earlier, it was reported that Dutch military intelligence had received information that a group of six people linked to Ukraine were preparing an attack on gas pipelines. The Dutch passed the information to the CIA, and the Americans informed the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND). It was reported that the attack could take place in June 2022.
"Since the time interval mentioned by the informant passed and no attack occurred, Germany did not take any additional measures to protect the pipeline in 2022," the media reported.
The Nord Stream pipelines, built to deliver gas under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, were hit by explosions in September 2022.
The pipeline's operator, Nord Stream AG, said that the damage was unprecedented and it was impossible to estimate the time repairs might take. Denmark, Germany and Norway have left Russia out of their investigations into the attack, prompting Moscow to launch its own investigation regarding charges of international terrorism.
No official results of the investigations have yet been announced, but Pulitzer Prize-winning US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh published a report in February 2023 alleging that the explosions had been organized by the United States with the support of Norway. Washington has denied any involvement in the incident.