File photo dated September 2021 and provided by Nord Stream 2 AG shows experts on the barge Fortuna performing an underwater connection during the final phase of construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea ( Nord Stream 2 AG / Handout )
Shut down because of the war in Ukraine, the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia with Germany under the Baltic Sea were both hit by spectacular leaks, preceded by underwater explosions. The European Union promised to “react as decisively as possible” to this “sabotage”. “.
The three large leaks, identified since Monday off the Danish island of Bornholm between southern Sweden and Poland, are visible on the surface with bubbles ranging from 200 meters to a kilometer in diameter, the Danish army said on Tuesday, supporting images.
The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline suffered a sharp drop in pressure on Monday, followed a few hours later by Nord Stream 1, which follows the route under the Baltic Sea.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on Twitter on Tuesday evening that she had “spoken about the Nord Stream act of sabotage” with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Satellite image taken September 26, 2022, released September 27, 2022 by Planet Labs PBC, shows a gas leak in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline off the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea (2022 Planet Labs PBC / Handout)
“It is of the utmost importance to investigate the incidents and to shed comprehensive light on the events (…) Any intentional disruption of Europe’s active energy infrastructure is unacceptable and will lead to the strongest possible response,” von der Leyen added.
Shortly before, the Danish Prime Minister had stated that “the clear opinion of the authorities is that these are intentional acts. We’re not talking about an accident.”
“Explosions have taken place and it’s probably about sabotage,” added resigning Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, who is in charge of day-to-day business after losing the 9/11 election.
Like Denmark, Sweden does not see this as an act of aggression against itself, as the incidents took place outside territorial waters in the exclusive economic zones.
According to Copenhagen, the leaks are expected to last “at least a week” before all the gas has escaped from the two structures.
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline gas leak seen from a Danish Defense F-16 off the island of Bornholm. Photo released by the Danish Army on September 27, 2022 ( DANISH DEFENSE / Handout )
The Swedish Seismic Institute recorded two underwater explosions “most likely due to detonation” before the incident, like its Norwegian and Danish equivalents.
– Arm wrestling –
Map of the area where gas leaks were detected on the route of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipeline (AFP / )
The two pipelines, operated by a consortium dependent on Russian giant Gazprom, have been the subject of geopolitical arm-wrestling in recent months and the fallout from the war in Ukraine. But both were still full of petrol.
The Kremlin, on which many eyes have been turned, said it was “extremely concerned” and believed “no” hypothesis should be ruled out, including sabotage.
In Kyiv, adviser to the Ukrainian Presidency Mykhaïlo Podoliak condemned “a planned terrorist attack” by Moscow without providing evidence.
The Polish Prime Minister also suggested Russian participation. “We see clearly that this is an act of sabotage that probably marks the next stage of escalation of the situation in Ukraine,” said Mateusz Morawiecki, who on Tuesday inaugurated a gas pipeline connecting Norway with Poland.
Photo released by the Danish military on September 27, 2022 shows the gas leak in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline seen from an airplane off the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea ( DANISH DEFENSE / Handout )
“We are not ruling out any scenario, but we will not speculate about motives or actors” who could be involved, said Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde.
“There is still no information about who is responsible for this,” said Frederiksen.
On the American side, Washington refused to “confirm” an act of sabotage.
The pipeline operator, the Nord Stream Consortium, acknowledged that “an incident where three pipelines experience difficulties simultaneously on the same day is not normal,” according to a spokesman.
Facilities of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline on August 30, 2022 in Lubmin, north-east Germany, near the border with Poland ( AFP / Odd ANDERSEN )
– “Very rare” –
Denmark dispatched two military ships, escorted by helicopters, to the scene and placed its energy infrastructure on Orange Alert, the second highest level of vigilance.
“Gas line leaks are extremely rare and we therefore see a reason to increase vigilance,” said Danish Energy Agency director Kristoffer Böttzauw after the incidents over the past 24 hours.
Facilities of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline on March 1, 2022 in Lubmin, north-east Germany, near the border with Poland ( AFP / John MACDOUGALL )
Nord Stream 2, completed in 2021, should double capacity to import Russian gas to Germany. Its commissioning was suspended in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine.
At Nord Stream 1, Gazprom gradually reduced gas supplies until the pipeline was completely shut down in late August, blaming western sanctions for delaying necessary repairs to the facility.
Shipping was prohibited within a radius of five nautical miles (approximately nine kilometers) from the three leaks, as well as overflight within a radius of one kilometer.
File photo dated November 8, 2011 showing (front row, from left) former French Prime Minister François Fillon, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and former EU Energy Commissioner Günther shows Oettinger, former Prime Minister of the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Erwin Sellering opening a symbolic valve at the inauguration of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline in Lubmin (Germany) (AFP / John MACDOUGALL)
According to the Danish authorities, the incidents have had no impact on the safety or health of local residents.
The direct environmental impact should also be limited, although unburned natural gas has a strong greenhouse effect.