Gas pipeline leaks: EU warns against any attack targeting its infrastructure
Josep Borrell, the head of European diplomacy.
REUTERS - JOHANNA GERON
Text by: RFI Follow
4 mins
Out of service due to the war in Ukraine, the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea were affected by spectacular leaks preceded by underwater explosions.
The European Union warns Wednesday, September 28 against any attack targeting its energy infrastructure
Advertising
Read more
“
Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is totally unacceptable and will be met with a vigorous and united response
,” said the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell.
Adding: “
All available information indicates that the leaks are the result of a deliberate act
”.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had already mentioned Tuesday evening "
an act of sabotage
" after meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
“
It is essential to investigate the incidents and to shed light on the events.
[...]
Any deliberate disruption of Europe's active energy infrastructure is unacceptable and will lead to the strongest possible response
,” added Ursula von der Leyen.
Shortly before, the Danish Prime Minister had declared that “
the clear opinion of the authorities is that these are deliberate acts.
We are not talking about an accident
”.
"
Explosions have taken place and it is
probably about sabotage
", added the resigning Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, who takes care of current affairs after the lost elections on September 11.
bubbling
The three large leaks identified since Monday off the Danish island of Bornholm, between southern Sweden and Poland, are visible on the surface with bubbling ranging from 200 meters to one kilometer in diameter, announced Tuesday the Danish army, supporting images.
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline had suffered a sharp drop in pressure on Monday, followed a few hours later by Nord Stream 1, which follows the route under the Baltic.
Like Denmark, Sweden does not see this as an act of aggression against it, the incidents having taken place outside territorial waters, in the exclusive economic zones.
According to Copenhagen, the leaks should last “
at least a week
”, until all the gas has left the two structures.
Upwelling from the leaking Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea on September 27, 2022. © Danish Defense Command via Reuters
Eyes on Moscow
In Kiev, the adviser to the Ukrainian presidency, Mykhaïlo Podoliak denounced "
a planned terrorist attack
" by Moscow, without providing evidence.
The Polish prime minister also suggested Russian involvement.
"
We clearly see that this is an act of sabotage, which probably marks the next stage in the escalation of the situation in Ukraine
," said Mateusz Morawiecki, who just inaugurated a gas pipeline linking Norway to Poland on Tuesday.
The Kremlin, towards which many eyes have therefore turned, judged, through the voice of its spokesman Dmitri Peskov, "
predictable, stupid and absurd
" that Russia is suspected, affirming that the leaks affecting Nord Stream 1 and 2 were "
problematic
" for Moscow because the Russian gas escaping from it "
is very expensive
".
No inspection possible for one or two weeks
On the American side, Washington, after refusing to "
confirm
" an act of sabotage, said it was examining information that the leaks were "
the result of an attack or some kind of sabotage
".
"
If this is confirmed, it is clearly in no one's interest
," Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters.
This energy crisis is an oil, gas and electricity crisis.
It was aggravated by Russia, of course.
But it was created by our energy policy or rather the inconsistency of our energy policy over the past 10 years.
Thierry Bros (Sciences Po): Regarding energy, “we are always reacting”
Aabla Jounaidi
►Also read: Poland inaugurates a new strategic gas pipeline with Norway
Due to the extensive boiling, "
it can easily take a week or two before the area is calm enough to just see what has happened
," Danish Defense Minister Morten Bødskov told Danish media on the sidelines. a meeting with the Secretary General of NATO in Brussels.
“
It was a very big explosion that happened, so it will take time before we can go down there
,” he added, knowing that the gas pipelines are located about 80 meters deep.
(With
AFP
)
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
Energies
Germany
Russia
Denmark
Sweden
European Union