Russia to request UN Security Council meeting over Nord Stream pipeline damage

Russia intends to call a United Nations Security Council meeting over damage to two undersea gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

The United Nations Security Council. AP - Mary Altaffer

Zakharova announced Moscow's intention on her Telegram account, and in a separate post she pointed the finger at the United States.

"On 27 January 2022, Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said at a State Department briefing that the US would achieve a shutdown of Nord Stream 2 in the event of a Russian 'invasion' of Ukraine," she wrote.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov had rejected accusations that Russia was responsible for the damage to the two pipelines, saying it was "quite predictable, and also predictably stupid to voice such versions", adding that the situation "is a big problem for us. Both lines of Nord Stream 2 are filled with gas, the entire system is ready to pump gas, and this gas is very expensive."

On Monday at least two explosions were recorded on the pipelines, causing massive gas leaks.

The European Union said sabotage is the most likely cause, with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen threatening the "strongest possible response".

A European Council statement said that "all available information indicates [the] leaks are the result of a deliberate act. We will support any investigation aimed at getting full clarity on what happened and why, and will take further steps to increase our resilience in energy security".

The statement added that "any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response".

New pipeline

The explosions damaging the Nord Stream pipelines coincide with the opening of a gas pipeline between Norway and Poland on 27 September.

In the authoritative Oilprice.com portal that follows the world's energy markets, energy specialist Cyril Widdershoven writes that observers "are worried that the leakages and explosions on both lines are not an incident, but linked to the launch of the Baltic Pipe, which carries Norwegian gas to Poland."

Danish operators and companies have increased their security, and Danish authorities say that it will take weeks before investigations into the cause of the explosions will yield any result.

(With agencies)