NATO cautious amid ongoing Nord Stream blasts investigation

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has called for caution following media reports that a pro-Ukrainian group may be responsible for blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines supplying Russian energy to Europe.

While not pointing to any official Ukrainian involvement, a New York Times report published on Tuesday said intelligence reviewed by United States officials found a pro-Kyiv group may be behind the attacks in September, which became a flashpoint between the West and Russia after last year’s Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“There are ongoing national investigations and I think it’s right to wait until those are finalised before we say anything more about who was behind it,” Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

The explosions on the pipelines connecting Russia and Germany took place on September 26 in the exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Both countries have concluded the blasts were deliberate but have not said who might be responsible.

Russia, which has previously blamed the West, seized on the news on Wednesday to demand a transparent investigation in which it also wants to participate.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested the media reports were a coordinated bid to divert attention and questioned how US officials could assume anything about the attacks without an investigation.