Leaks Found On Nord Stream Russian Gas Pipeline; Russian Ships Found In Vicinity Of Leaks

A fourth leak was found by the Swedish Coast Guard in the Nord Stream natural gas pipeline on Thursday, as European officials imply that Russian forces may have something to do with the leaks even as the Kremlin denies the accusations.

The leak that was found earlier this week by the Swedish Coast Guard is the fourth of its kind to be found on Nord Stream 1, with two of the leaks coming from the Swedish part of the pipeline while two others were found in Danish waters, according to Reuters.

“There are two emission sites in Sweden's exclusive economic zone, the bigger one above the Nord Stream 1 and a smaller one by Nord Stream 2,” the Swedish Coast Guard said.

As the European Union appear to believe that the leaks were caused by “sabotage,” European intelligence officials observed Russian Navy support ships near the pipeline, with an analysis of the leaks showing that they were caused by explosions, CNN reported.

Though the European Union has not suggested that Russia may be behind the leaks that are happening in the gas pipeline, they have not ruled out “that a foreign power is behind it,” and a U.S. military official has commented that many are suspecting sabotage.

“I think many of our partners have determined or believe it is sabotage. I’m not at the point where I can tell you one way or the other,” a senior U.S. officer said. “The only thing I know there is that we think the water is between 80 and 100 meters [deep] at that location where the pipeline is. Other than that, I don’t know anything more.”

Russia’s foreign ministry has denied doing anything to the Nord Stream pipelines, claiming that the areas where the leaks occurred were controlled by the United States, and calling European officials “stupid” for even suggesting it, al-Jazeera reported.

“One of the Western narratives is that Russians are pathological masochists. Their [favorite] pastimes are to shell themselves at the #ZNPP, to blow their own #pipelines in the Baltic Sea etc. Ridiculous? Yes. Stupid? Yes. But a part of the Western public buy it enthusiastically,” Russian official Mikhail Ulyanov said.