US and Ukraine worked hand in hand to sabotage Nord Stream, says Russia

Ukraine for its part has repeatedly denied any involvement in Nord Stream sabotage. (Photo/Reuters)

Russia's ambassador to Washington has said that he did not believe Ukraine would have attacked the Nord Stream gas pipelines without the tacit approval of the United States, and that Russia would identify and punish those behind the attack.

Germany has issued an arrest for a Ukrainian diver who carried out the sabotage. German investigators believe the Ukrainian diver was part of a team that planted the explosives.

A sharp pressure drop on the pipelines under the Baltic Sea was registered on September 26, 2022, and seismologists detected explosions, triggering a wave of speculation about who sabotaged the multibillion-dollar project that carried Russian gas to Germany.

"They seek to shift all responsibility to their Ukrainian puppets," Russian Ambassador Anatoly Antonov said in a statement on Nord Stream. "We will seek to identify the real perpetrators of the bombing and punish them."

Russia has repeatedly said that the attack on Nord Stream was carried out by the United States and Britain. Washington and London have denied those accusations.

'Wink from Washington'

Ukraine for its part has repeatedly denied any involvement.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak on Thursday denied his country was involved and pointed the finger at Russia.

Antonov said that there was no way that Ukraine would attack Nord Stream without "the wink" from Washington.

"In fact, we are talking about the implicit legitimisation of terrorism, even when it comes to the territory of the allies," Antonov said.

The blasts occurred in the economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Both countries said the explosions were deliberate, but have yet to say in public who was responsible. Those countries and Germany are investigating.

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Source: TRT