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Sabotage of European Energy Infrastructure

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On September 26, 2022, the Danish Energy Agency announced that a leak had occurred in the Nord Stream-II Gas Pipeline in the southeast of Dueodde and a zone banning any movement had been established around the pipeline. The agency explained that the Danish authorities have been informed that there has been a significant pressure drop in the Nord Stream-II Gas Pipeline.[1]

In a statement on the matter, Nord Stream Operator (Nord Stream AG) said that while it is impossible to predict when the pipeline operation would be restored, repairs may take several years. A large part of the pipelines may need to be replaced because they are now filled with seawater. However, it is stated that the repair of the Nord Stream-I and Nord Stream-II Gas Pipelines is not welcomed. Due to the current circumstances, the functionality of the Nord Stream-I Gas Pipeline has come to a standstill. While Russia is reducing its gas exports, Europeans are beginning to think that this pipeline should no longer be used. The Nord Stream-II Gas Pipeline, on the other hand, has been banned before it has even begun operating.

The European owners of the pipeline asserted that they were unaware of what caused the mishaps and the pressure drop in the pipelines and that the investigation is still underway. According to Foreign Minister of Sweden Ann Linde’s statement on September 28, 2022, the explosions that led to the gas leak in the pipes were presumably the result of a sabotage.[2]

Former Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski thanked the United States of America (US) for damaging the pipeline. Additionally, according to Marcin Przydacz, the Deputy Foreign Minister for Poland, Warsaw does not completely rule out the possibility of a sabotage but would reserve judgment until Denmark provides the necessary details. Dmitry Peskov, the Spokesman for the Kremlin, stated that the causes of the situation should be investigated without decrying any factors.[3]

The person responsible for organizing the sabotage of the gas pipeline is unknown; however, they can be assumed. According to assertions made by the Russian government, it is difficult for nations with exclusive economic zones to miss the arrival of a number of submarines and tens of tonnes of explosives.

On the other hand, it is stated that since March 2022, flights by foreign warplanes over pipe-laying ships and the activities of warships have increased in the region.[4] This indicates that a sabotage was a predictable development.

Immediately after the Nord Stream Pipelines were blown up, a symbolic ceremony was held in Poland for the launch of the Baltic Pipeline. At the opening, President of Poland Andrzej Duda, Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki and Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen turned the valve together. At the ceremony, Duda stated that This gas will be able to go wherever it is needed from here.” Meanwhile, Morawiecki claimed thatThe era of Russian dominance in the gas industry is coming to an end.”[5]

The Baltic Pipe is a nearly 900 km long pipeline system in the North Sea that connects Norwegian energy supplies to Poland through Denmark. The actual gas transmission through this new pipeline will start on October 1, 2022. At first, the pipeline will operate at a capacity of 30-38%. As of 2023, it is claimed that the production capacity will be 10 billion cubic meters per year.

Another assertion about the attacks is that the US may be responsible. As a matter of fact, Sikorski also expressed gratitude to the US. Even the claim that American ships were found on September 23, 2022, in the Baltic Sea has been raised.[6] But, like the previous claim, this view was expressed mainly by Russia.

Certain nations have been harmed and some states’ interests have been benefited by the fact that the gas pipelines in question are no longer operational. First of all, it can be said that there has been a positive development for Poland and the Baltic countries, which oppose these projects as they do not want Germany to further cooperate with Russia because Warsaw has a long history of opposing German-Russian reconciliation. In the past, the cooperation of these two strong neighbors of the weak Poland led either to the division or the occupation of the country. This, in turn, preserves its place in the memory of the Poles.

The decommissioning of the intervening states, such as Poland and the Baltic nations, was one of the objectives of cooperation on gas. As a matter of fact, the agreement for the construction of the Nord Stream Gas Pipeline was called the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact by Poland.[7] The name refers to the Non-Aggression Pact of 23 August 1939, which stipulated the partitioning of Poland between Germany and the Soviet Union.

It is clear that the country which will benefit the most from the deactivation of the Nord Stream Gas Pipelines will be the US. As a matter of fact, the Washington administration has been opposing the construction of the Nord Stream-II Gas Pipeline for a long time. There are three reasons for this. First of all, Washington is concerned that Germany will increase its reliance on Russian gas. The second reason is that it thinks that the Nord Stream-II Gas Pipeline may terminate the activities of the pipeline running through Ukraine. Thirdly, the US wants to increase its share of liquefied natural gas in the European energy consumption market.

It can be said that the European Union (EU) and Russia are at the forefront of the parties that will suffer from the incident since the pipelines in question are projects whose construction process has been going on for decades and billions of dollars have been invested. These projects were providing Russia with a significant source of income while supplying Europe’s energy needs. However, against the sanctions imposed on Russia in the Ukrainian War, the Moscow administration has also begun to use energy as a means of punishing Europe.

As expected, the non-functioning of the gas pipelines in question means that Russia will be deprived of the means to punish and apply political pressure on Europe. Currently, Russia can export gas to Europe only through pipelines passing Ukraine. As a result, both the security of Europe’s energy supply and Russia’s energy relationship with Europe are at stake.

Thus, although it is not known which forces are behind these sabotages, it is possible to predict the actors who will be pleased with the developments and who will be the states that will suffer losses. The explosions also indicate that ties between Russia and the West will continue to deteriorate.


[1] “В Дании произошла утечка на “Северном потоке-2””, Ria Novosti, https://ria.ru/20220926/utechka-1819653252.html, (Date of Accession: 28.09.2022).

[2] “Глава МИД Швеции заявила, что утечка газа на “Северных потоках” произошла из-за взрывов”, Tass, https://tass.ru/ekonomika/15888707, (Date of Accession: 28.09.2022).

[3] “Песков: нельзя исключать ни одну из версий причин разгерметизации нескольких ниток “Северного потока””, Interfax, https://www.interfax-russia.ru/rossiya-i-mir/peskov-nelzya-isklyuchat-ni-odnu-iz-versiy-prichin-razgermetizacii-neskolkih-nitok-severnogo-potoka, (Date of Accession: 28.09.2022).

[4] “Польские военные заявили, что не противодействуют строительству СП-2”, EurAsia Daily, https://eadaily.com/ru/news/2021/04/02/polskie-voennye-zayavili-chto-ne-protivodeystvuyut-stroitelstvu-sp-2, (Date of Accession: 28.09.2022).

[5] “A symbolic launch ceremony of the Baltic Pipe gas pipeline was held in Poland”, Tass, https://tass.ru/ekonomika/15882081?utm_source=google.com&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=google.com&utm_referrer=google.com, (Date of Accession: 28.09.2022).

[6] “Диверсия против «Северного потока» указывает на американцев”, Vzglyad, https://vz.ru/world/2022/9/28/1179688.html, (Date of Accession: 28.09.2022).

[7] “В МИД Польши сравнили “Северный поток” с пактом Молотова-Риббентропа”, Ria Novosti, https://ria.ru/20190827/1557952488.html, (Date of Accession: 28.09.2022).

Dr. Sabir ASKEROĞLU
Dr. Sabir ASKEROĞLU
Lisans öğrenimini Ankara Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi Uluslararası İlişkiler bölümünde tamamlayan Dr. Sabir Askeroğlu, yüksek lisans derecesini Ankara Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Uluslararası İlişkiler Anabilim Dalı’nda almıştır. Doktora eğitimini İstanbul Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Siyaset Bilimi ve Uluslararası İlişkiler Anabilim Dalı’nda tamamlayan Dr. Askeroğlu, çeşitli düşünce kuruluşlarında görev yapmıştır. Başlıca ilgi alanları, Avrasya çalışmaları ve Rus dış politikası olan Dr. Askeroğlu, iyi derecede Rusça ve İngilizce bilmektedir.