The mines could have been placed near the pipelines by an underwater boat or drone months or even years ago, the sources told the channel.
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines may have been sabotaged by a remotely detonated underwater explosive device, Sky News reported on Wednesday citing a UK defense source.
Russian natural gas pipelines could have been disrupted by mines lowered to the seafloor in a long line, or explosives launched from a ship or placed by an underwater drone, and the bomb may have been planted.”months or even years ago”, says the report.
The source added that the explosives were unlikely to have been planted by a Russian submarine, as the Baltic Sea is relatively shallow, making such a clandestine operation not difficult to detect.
However, the source said that “an alleged act of sabotage” I was “possibly” made by Russia, without providing any evidence to support this claim.
Other “western fontquoted by the outlet suggested that the Kremlin’s outrage over the damage was suspicious, joking that Moscow “protest too much.”
Earlier, Russia expressed concern about the rupture of its oil pipelines, saying it could have serious consequences for the energy supply to the “entire continent”, and called for an immediate investigation into the matter. He also denounced any accusation that he had orchestrated an act of sabotage as “stupid and absurd.”
Both Nord Stream pipelines, which connect Russia with Germany under the Baltic Sea, lost pressure on Monday, with a massive gas leak detected near the island of Bornholm. Following the incident, the Danish authorities closed the area to shipping. In total, four leaks have been found so far.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the German outlet Tagesspiegel reported that the damage suffered by Nord Stream 1 and 2 could be irreparable. Citing government sources, he argued that if the breaches are not quickly remedied, too much salty seawater could enter the pipes and irreversibly corrode them.
According to German media, Berlin has been investigating the leaks as a deliberate attack, carried out by pro-Ukrainian forces or by Russia itself in a possible false flag operation to make kyiv look bad. The incident is expected to further increase energy prices and exacerbate the energy crisis in Europe.