US intelligence sees ‘pro-Ukraine group’ behind Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, says report

WASHINGTON – United States officials have seen new intelligence that indicates a “pro-Ukrainian group” was responsible for

the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022,

The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

In a cautious report that did not identify the source of the intelligence or the group involved, the Times said the US officials had no evidence implicating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the pipeline bombing.

But the attack benefited Ukraine by severely damaging Russia’s means of reaping millions by selling natural gas to Western Europe.

At the same time, it added to the pressure of high energy prices on key Ukrainian allies in Western Europe, particularly Germany.

The intelligence suggested the perpetrators behind the sabotage were “opponents of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia”, the Times report said.

But the US officials had no indication of who exactly took part and who organised and paid for the operation, which would have required skilled divers and explosives experts.

They believed those involved were probably Ukrainian or Russian nationals, and that none were from the US or Britain.

US officials have “no firm conclusions” about the intelligence, “leaving open the possibility that the operation might have been conducted off the books by a proxy force with connections to the Ukrainian government or its security services”, the Times said.

The pipelines were ruptured by subsea explosives on Sept 26, 2022, seven months after

Russian forces invaded Ukraine.

Several countries were said at the time to have motives for the action: Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Britain and the US.

In February, veteran US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh reported that the US was behind the operation to bomb the Nord Stream pipelines and that Norway assisted.

The

White House blasted Mr Hersh’s report,

which cited an unnamed source, as “complete fiction”. AFP