Czech President denies Ukraine's involvement in Nord Stream pipeline detonation
President of Czechia, Petr Pavel (photo: Getty Images)
The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines could be legitimate targets in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war. However, there is no evidence linking Ukraine to their sabotage, states Czech President Petr Pavel.
In his opinion, during an armed conflict, targets can include not only military but also strategic infrastructure.
"Pipelines are strategic targets. If the attack aimed to disrupt gas and oil supplies to Europe and return the funds to Russia, it could be considered a legitimate target," Pavel stated.
However, he emphasized that there is no specific evidence linking Ukraine to the explosions on the pipelines.
Pavel also rejected the notion that the attack on the pipelines created serious problems for Europeans.
"At that time, we already had several alternatives, so the Nord Stream was not a critically important pipeline for Europe's energy security. Of course, it caused some difficulties, but they were manageable," said the Czech President.
He added that pipelines will always be targets, as they can influence the course of the conflict.
Detonation of pipelines in the Baltic Sea
In September 2022, explosions occurred on three lines of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea, leading to gas leaks into the atmosphere.
The investigation revealed that the explosions were caused by explosives attached to the pipes in advance. The alleged perpetrators of the attack were reportedly a Ukrainian and an accomplice residing in Poland.
On August 14, 2024, Germany issued an arrest warrant for the suspected Ukrainian. It is believed that he may have left Poland and returned to Ukraine.
For more details on the Nord Stream explosions case, read the article by RBC-Ukraine.
