A professional-Ukrainian group was behind the assault on the Nord Stream pipelines final 12 months, in keeping with new intelligence reviewed by U.S. officers, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
There was no proof that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or his prime lieutenants have been concerned within the operation, or that the perpetrators have been performing on the path of any Ukrainian authorities officers, the newspaper reported, citing U.S. officers.
Reuters couldn’t independently confirm the report, and U.S. officers couldn’t be instantly reached for remark. Representatives for Kyiv and Moscow additionally couldn’t be instantly reached.
The United States and NATO have referred to as the September 2022 assaults on the gasoline pipelines “an act of sabotage,” whereas Moscow has blamed the West and has referred to as on the United Nations Security Council to independently examine. Neither aspect has supplied proof.
The intelligence assessment suggests the who carried out the assaults opposed Russian President Vladimir Putin “but does not specify the members of the group, or who directed or paid for the operation,” The New York Times claimed. “U.S. officials declined to disclose the nature of the intelligence, how it was obtained or any details of the strength of the evidence it contains. They have said that there are no firm conclusions about it,” the report added.
Zelenskyy aide: Kyiv ‘completely not concerned’ in Nord Stream assault
A senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Tuesday that Kyiv was “absolutely not involved” in final 12 months’s assaults on the Nord Stream pipelines and has no details about what occurred.
“Without a doubt, Ukraine is absolutely not involved in the excesses on the pipelines,” Mykhailo Podolyak stated in an announcement to Reuters. “It does not make the slightest bit of sense.”
He added that Ukraine has no details about precisely who was concerned however speculated that what he referred to as Russian efforts to destabilize the area might need been accountable.
“Starting from the first day of construction on the pipelines at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, Ukraine repeatedly drew the attention of its Western partners to the sharply growing strategic risks for the security of Europe carried by the realization of this project,” Podolyak stated.
Russia says NYT Nord Stream report justifies push for worldwide inquiry
Russia’s deputy U.N. envoy stated that the New York Times report on who may very well be chargeable for the assaults on the Nord Stream gasoline pipelines final 12 months “only proves that our initiative on launching an international investigation under the auspices of the U.N. Secretary-General is very timely.”
Russia plans to name a vote within the U.N. Security Council by the tip of March on its draft decision asking Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to determine such an inquiry, Deputy Russian U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy informed Reuters.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
