Energy companies have started increasing their security plans and the European Union warns it will be taking other measures after natural gas pipelines were obstructed.
What happened to the pipelines
ABC News reported that due to three reported leaks, the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were full of natural gas but not making deliveries to Europe as they should have been.
The pipeline leaks were found on Tuesday, after explosions occurred in the Baltic Sea on Monday, according to seismologists’ report on the damage. Two pipelines filled with natural gas, which ran underwater from Russia to Germany, were damaged. The timing of these incidents are hard for the EU to ignore, as they are currently having difficulties in managing the electricity and gas prices, according to The Associated Press.
Per PBS, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, “The explosions took place very close to Danish territorial waters, but not inside them, because that would have meant NATO territory.”
Energy companies started putting security measures in place after the damage had been done.
Reuters reported that Russia also said that sabotage is possible, despite being the country that destroyed gas deliveries following the sanctions the West put in place due to Moscow invading Ukraine.
European leaders say it wasn’t an accident, it was likely sabotage
European leaders are looking at the possibility that tension due to the energy standoff with Russia is part of the alleged sabotage.
“All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said. “Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that the situation is serious and that what happened to the pipelines was not an accident, according to Politico.
“We have Swedish information and we have also been in touch with Denmark, and based on this, we have concluded that this is likely a deliberate act, that is, it is likely an act of sabotage,” Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said.