(MENAFN) In a recent development, Germany's prosecutor general has initiated an investigation into a potential breach of sensitive defense information during the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, as reported by Bild. The alleged incident, which took place in 2018, suggests that classified data may have been leaked to Russia and made accessible on the website of a regional mining authority. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline, designed to transport Russian natural gas directly to Germany via the Baltic Sea, faced a setback in September 2022 when powerful underwater explosions rendered the pipelines inoperable near the Danish island of Bornholm.
Although Germany, Sweden, and Denmark had launched separate investigations into the attacks on the pipeline, none have assigned blame for the incident. Notably, Sweden recently announced the discontinuation of its probe, leaving many unanswered questions surrounding the underwater explosions. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in an interview with American journalist Tucker Carlson in February, pointed the finger at the United States regarding the pipeline attacks.
Bild's report on Sunday revealed that on December 11, 2023, Germany's prosecutor general notified the Defense Ministry of a probe related to the potential publication of military information on operational areas of NATO's submarines by the mining authority of the city of Stralsund. The suspicion is that local officials may have disclosed state secrets during the planning phase of the Nord Stream 2 construction.
The media outlet further disclosed that Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' office confirmed that "Stralsund’s mining authority published shot numbers of the German Navy categorized as ‘classified – for internal use only’ in the planning approval resolution for the Nord Stream 2 dated January 31, 2018, on page 556." This revelation raises concerns about the security of NATO's military information and the potential compromise of operational details related to submarines.
As Germany delves into the investigation, questions surrounding the extent of the leak and its implications for national security continue to emerge. The timing of the disclosure, its potential impact on international relations, and the diplomatic fallout with Russia are among the key aspects under scrutiny. The situation adds another layer of complexity to the Nord Stream 2 saga, bringing attention not only to the pipeline's strategic significance but also to the broader implications of compromised military information in the context of global geopolitics.
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