# New intelligence points to pro-Ukraine group in Nord Stream attack -NYT
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2023-03-08
Category: Uncategorized
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/uncategorized
Meta Title: New intelligence suggests pro-Ukraine group attacked Nord Stream gas pipelines
Meta Description: Recent reports reveal a probable attack on Nord Stream pipelines by a pro-Ukraine group, but no clear conclusions yet. Stay updated with the latest
URL: https://financedigest.com/new-intelligence-points-to-pro-ukraine-group-in-nord-stream-attack-nythtml

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) -New intelligence reviewed by U.S. officials suggests that a pro-Ukraine group – likely comprised of Ukrainians or Russians – attacked the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September, but there are no firm conclusions, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

There was no evidence that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy or other Ukrainian government officials were behind the attacks which spewed natural [gas into the Baltic](https://www.financedigest.com/polands-pgnig-in-talks-to-get-more-gas-from-norway-through-new-baltic-pipe.html "Poland’s PGNiG in talks to get more gas from Norway through new Baltic Pipe") Sea, the newspaper reported, citing U.S. officials.

[Reuters could not independently verify the report](https://www.financedigest.com/thomson-reuters-report-reveals-risk-compliance-staff-expect-to-see-significant-benefits-from-artificial-intelligence-ai-and-distributed-ledger-technologies.html "Thomson Reuters Report Reveals Risk & Compliance Staff Expect to See Significant Benefits from Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Distributed Ledger Technologies").

The Sept. 26 explosions on the pipelines connecting Russia and Germany occurred in the exclusive [economic zones](https://www.financedigest.com/euro-zone-economic-sentiment-rises-in-january-to-seven-month-high.html "Euro zone economic sentiment rises in January to seven-month high") of Sweden and Denmark. Both countries have concluded the blasts were deliberate, but have not said who might be responsible.

The [United States and NATO have called the pipeline attacks](https://www.financedigest.com/united-bulgarian-bank-selects-onespan-to-help-fight-social-engineering-and-mobile-malware-attacks.html "United Bulgarian Bank Selects OneSpan to Help Fight Social Engineering and Mobile Malware Attacks") “an act of sabotage,” while Moscow has blamed the West. Neither side has provided evidence.

Denmark, Germany and Sweden said [last month](https://www.financedigest.com/fintech-trends-to-look-out-for-during-the-last-six-months-of-2019.html "Fintech trends to look out for during the last six months of 2019") that their investigations have not yet concluded. The United States and Britain said on Tuesday they were waiting on those findings.

We [need to let these investigations conclude and only then should we be looking at what follow-on actions](https://www.financedigest.com/action-is-needed-to-prevent-payments-disruption-from-incoming-eu-funds-transfer-regulation-says-new-deutsche-bank-whitepaper.html "Action is needed to prevent payments disruption from incoming EU Funds Transfer Regulation, says new Deutsche Bank whitepaper") might or may not be appropriate,” said White House spokesperson John Kirby.

Germany said on Tuesday it had taken note of the New York Times [report but that its own investigation](https://www.financedigest.com/equiniti-credit-services-investigates-consumer-attitudes-to-lending-in-new-report.html "Equiniti Credit Services investigates consumer attitudes to lending in new report") had not yet produced results. [NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg](https://www.financedigest.com/finland-will-join-nato-on-tuesday-stoltenberg.html "Finland will join NATO on Tuesday – Stoltenberg") and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson both declined to comment on the New York Times report during a news conference in Stockholm.

A senior aide to Zelenskiy, Mykhailo Podolyak, said that Kyiv was “absolutely not involved” in the blasts and has no information about what happened.

[Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the media reports on Tuesday underscored the need](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-and-russia-what-you-need-to-know-right-now-2.html "Ukraine and Russia: What you need to know right now") for Moscow’s questions about what happened to be answered. She also [accused those responsible for the media](https://www.financedigest.com/soccer-edouard-and-ferland-mendy-slam-media-mix-ups-with-accused-benjamin.html "Soccer-Edouard and Ferland Mendy slam media mix-ups with accused Benjamin") leaks of wanting to divert the public’s attention and avoid a proper investigation.

OPPOSITION TO PUTIN

The pipelines were built by Russia’s state-controlled Gazprom. Gazprom did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. [German energy](https://www.financedigest.com/german-gas-storage-levy-adds-to-energy-consumers-woes.html "German gas storage levy adds to energy consumers’ woes") company E.ON and Wintershall DEA, both shareholders of the [Nord Stream](https://www.financedigest.com/denmark-invites-nord-stream-operator-to-help-salvage-unidentified-object.html "Denmark invites Nord Stream operator to help salvage unidentified object") pipeline, declined to comment.

In the year since Russia invaded Ukraine, [Europe has drastically cut its energy](https://www.financedigest.com/europes-energy-crisis-and-the-nuclear-path-out.html "Europe’s energy crisis and the nuclear path out") imports from Russia. Moscow this week called for all [Nord Stream](https://www.financedigest.com/yamal-europe-eastward-gas-flows-resume-as-nord-stream-lays-idle.html "Yamal-Europe eastward gas flows resume as Nord Stream lays idle") stakeholders to decide its fate.

The U.S. [intelligence review suggested those who carried out the attacks opposed Russian](https://www.financedigest.com/russian-threat-to-baltic-security-rising-estonian-intelligence-report.html "Russian threat to Baltic security rising – Estonian intelligence report") President Vladimir Putin “but does not specify the members of the group, or who directed or paid for the operation,” the New York Times wrote.

Officials who have reviewed the intelligence said they believed the saboteurs were most likely [Ukrainian or Russian](https://www.financedigest.com/ukrainian-volunteers-recount-three-weeks-in-russian-captivity-allege-beatings.html "Ukrainian volunteers recount three weeks in Russian captivity, allege beatings") nationals, or some combination of the two. U.S. officials said no American or British nationals were involved,” [according to the New York Times report](https://www.financedigest.com/worst-flooding-since-1998-leaves-33bn-economic-toll-in-china-according-to-aon-catastrophe-report.html "Worst flooding since 1998 leaves bn economic toll in China, according to Aon catastrophe report").

Germany’s ARD broadcaster and Zeit newspaper reported on Tuesday, without citing sources, that German authorities were able to identify the boat used for the sabotage operation.

A group of five men and one woman, using forged passports, rented a yacht from a Poland-based company owned by Ukrainian citizens, the German media outlets reported. The nationality of the perpetrators is unclear, they reported.

Investigators founds traces of explosives on the yacht, which the group took from Rostock, Germany on Sept. 6, according to ARD and Zeit. They also [reported that intelligence indicated that a pro-Ukrainian group](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-report-warns-of-impact-of-islamist-groups-in-prisons.html "UK report warns of impact of Islamist groups in prisons") could be behind the attack, but German authorities have not yet found any evidence.

Reuters could not independently verify the information.

Russia last month gave the U.N. [Security Council](https://www.financedigest.com/durham-county-council-reduces-data-log-analysis-costs-by-50-with-real-time-analysis-and-security-tool.html "Durham County Council reduces data log analysis costs by 50% with real-time analysis and security tool") a draft resolution which – if adopted – would ask U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to establish an international, independent investigation into the attack and who was responsible.

Russia’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said the media reports on Tuesday made Russia’s move at the United Nations as “very timely,” telling Reuters that “by the end of March there definitely will be a [vote” on the resolution](https://www.financedigest.com/hsbc-board-recommends-shareholders-vote-against-spin-off-resolution.html "HSBC board recommends shareholders vote against spin-off resolution").

(Reporting by Steve Holland, Simon Lewis and Jonathan Landay in Washington, [Michelle Nichols in New York](https://www.financedigest.com/stroocks-tax-practice-adds-noted-transactional-advisor-michelle-m-jewett-as-partner-in-new-york.html "Stroock’s Tax Practice Adds Noted Transactional Advisor Michelle M. Jewett as Partner in New York"), Riham Alkousaa in Berlin and David Ljunggren; Writing by Susan Heavey, Kanishka Singh and Michelle Nichols; Editing by David Gregorio and Cynthia Osterman)


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