Zelensky gives primary command for Nord Stream assault
Date
8/18/2024 8:02:36 AM
(MENAFN) The Wall Street Journal has reported that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially approved a plan to sabotage the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which were severely damaged by explosions under the Baltic Sea in September 2022. According to the report, Zelensky later attempted to cancel the operation due to pressure from the United States, but by then it was too late to stop the planned attack.
The Nord Stream pipelines, crucial for transporting Russian gas to Germany and other European countries, were destroyed by blasts that significantly disrupted energy supplies. Early in 2023, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh alleged that United States Navy divers, operating under the guise of a NATO exercise, planted explosives on the pipelines and detonated them on orders from President Joe Biden. Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have accused Washington of orchestrating the attack to disrupt Russian energy exports to the European Union.
The WSJ article presents an alternative narrative, suggesting that the sabotage was the result of a Ukrainian initiative. Sources claim that the plot was conceived by a group of senior Ukrainian military officers and businessmen in May 2022, shortly after the start of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The goal was to undermine Russia's energy revenue and reduce European dependency on Russian gas.
The Ukrainian operation reportedly involved a rented yacht named Andromeda, equipped with a six-member crew including trained divers, and cost approximately USD300,000. This version of events aligns with earlier reports from Western media that emerged following Hersh's allegations.
MENAFN18082024000045015687ID1108572440
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.