2023-10-05 13:37:19
MONDE – A year later, the mystery surrounding the explosion of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines remains complete. The three different investigations opened in Europe have still not issued the slightest conclusion or even provided new elements. The mutual accusations launched by Russia and the West continue and the leads put forward so far have still not been confirmed or ruled out. Russian sabotage? Ukrainian commando? CIA operation? Nothing new, except the latest elements provided by analysts of this affair, according to which the explosion of the two gas pipelines was caused by… a nuclear bomb!
On September 26, 2022, major gas leaks were spotted on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, connecting Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea. The next day, a Swedish seismic institute revealed that two underwater explosions had been recorded near the leak sites, long before they were detected.
The traces of explosives found confirm that it was a deliberate act and the explosions of the two gas pipelines immediately gave way to mutual accusations from Russia, Ukraine, the United States and other member countries of NATO like the United Kingdom. Objects of all suspicion, Moscow accused the United States while announcing the opening of an investigation by the Russian security services (FSB) for “act of international terrorism”. Washington called “ridicules” the Kremlin’s accusations.
A month later, Russia accused the United Kingdom of “directed and coordinated these explosions. British Defense has denounced “false claims” intended, according to her, to “To divert attention”.
In the west, nothing is new
Three investigations were opened: the first by Germany, served by the two gas pipelines, the other two by Norway and Denmark, the explosions having occurred in the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of these two Nordic countries.
In February, the Federal Prosecutor of Germany, Peter Frank already announced “no evidence” does not link Moscow to the act of sabotage. The role of Moscow “was not verifiable at that time”. A first version which corroborated the first conclusions of an investigation revealed in December by the Washington Postaccording to which “nothing conclusively linked Russia to the attack”.
None of the three open investigations led to any conclusions. The hypotheses are numerous. If the trail of Russian sabotage has gradually faded, others have intensified. In April, Swedish prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist revealed that the “main hypothesis is that a state is behind it”. Sweden, he said, is “in the final phase of the investigation” and hopes to make its results public by 2024.
Shortly before his declaration, the New York Times claimed that a “pro-Ukrainian group” was behind the sabotage, “without involvement of Ukrainian President” Volodymyr Zelensky. The information is corroborated by German media, such as The mirror and ZDF, who added that a Ukrainian crew would have sailed from Germany to the coast of the Danish island of Bornholm to carry out this operation.
The involvement of the United States, “satisfied to know” that Nord Stream is no longer “just a piece of metal at the bottom of the sea”, leaves no doubt for American investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. In an article published Wednesday February 8, 2023 on Substack, he claims that US Navy divers planted explosives on these gas pipelines in June 2022 before detonating them in September. The 1970 Pulitzer Prize winner claims that US Army divers were helped by Norway.
Nord Stream sabotaged by a thermonuclear bomb?
In a new article published on September 26“on the occasion of the first anniversary” of the explosions, the investigative journalist maintains his assertions, describing the sabotage as a “perfect crime” as much as the crew who would be behind it “[n’auraient] left no trace”. Seymour Hersh mainly evokes other details of what would be behind the scenes of Joe Biden’s decision to sabotage Nord Stream and his motivations.
On the same day, September 26, the UN Security Council met at the request of Russia, which announced its intention to present a draft resolution. The Russian delegation once again accused Washington of having carried out “a scandalous criminal act” in order to “consolidate its domination [énergétique] on Europe”by promoting the sale of its gas to the detriment of that of Moscow.
Seymour Hersh is not the only one to have returned to this matter in recent days. An Irish physicist, Hans-Benjamin Braun, shared on X an image taken by a German captain at the time of the explosion. The conclusions of the professor from the University of Dublin, who says he is based on several geophysical proofs, are not trivial.
“The sabotage of Nord Stream was carried out by a nuclear weapon,” he said. “The dominant narrative of an explosive 500 kg de TNT is definitely debunked. The explosion would have generated a visible explosion on the surface of 25 meters in diameter, which clearly contrasts with the photograph below”, in which we see a cloud with a height of 56 meters and a diameter of 350 meters.
#NordstreamSabotage was carried out by a nuke. The mainstream narrative of approx. 500kg TNT explosive is definitely debunked as it would have merely led to a plume diameter of 25m, clearly in contrast to the photograph below made public 4 days ago.
In turn, my seismic estimate… pic.twitter.com/LwgqpVO448— Hans-Benjamin Braun (@Ben68638515) October 2, 2023
If Berlin still does not draw conclusions from its investigation, the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) is currently conducting an internal investigation against X after the leak of classified “secret” information on the attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines.
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