Russia says it is satisfied with Nord Stream sabotage probe

MOSCOW - Russia said on Aug 28 that it was “satisfied” with progress in a German probe into the explosions of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, after a Ukrainian suspect was arrested last week.

The September 2022 blasts

on the gas pipes in the Baltic Sea triggered a long blame game between Russia and Ukraine, with some Western officials also accusing Moscow.

Italy detained a Ukrainian man

at Germany’s request on Aug 21, accusing him of being part of a cell of Ukrainians who had placed explosive devices on the pipelines.

Russia, which has always said the Ukrainian state was behind the attack, welcomed the development.

“It is certainly satisfying that the investigation is ongoing,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

“I want to believe that it will be brought to an end and that not only the perpetrators, but also the instigators of these terrorist acts will be named,” he added.

Mr Peskov said Berlin had not been in contact with Russia over the probe.

The arrest was the first in the case, which is politically sensitive, given

Russia’s February 2022 all-out assault

on Ukraine, and Western support for Ukraine’s fightback.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said his government knew nothing about any plan to blow up the pipelines.

Nord Stream had long been criticised for allowing Russian gas to bypass eastern European transit routes and leaving Germany overly reliant on cheap energy from Moscow.

Russia made a fortune while being Germany’s top natural gas supplier, but the European Union has sanctioned and massively cut its imports of Russian energy amid Moscow’s offensive on Ukraine.

None of the pipelines hit were in operation at the time of the blast.

The extension pipeline – Nord Stream 2 – was completed only shortly before Russia sent troops into Ukraine and never entered service. AFP