[News] US Intelligence points to "a pro-Ukrainian group" as the author of the attack on Nord Stream 2

[Draeno]

 

Allegations that it was Ukraine that blew up the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which connected Russia with Germany across the Baltic Sea, continue to mount. Now it is the New York Times who affirms it, citing sources of American espionage. According to the information in that newspaper, it was a "pro-Ukrainian group" who carried out the action, and it does not seem that the government of Volodimir Zelenski knew about it.

Sources with knowledge of the situation, however, have explained to EL MUNDO that it was directly the Ukrainian Armed Forces, taking advantage of the training in underwater fighting that the United States has been subjecting them to for years. Political risk consultant Ian Bremmer has stated on his GZero website that Poland helped Ukraine. Others claim that the support came from one of the Baltic countries.

The blowing up of the Nord Stream is of enormous value to Ukraine because it only leaves one operational gas pipeline between Russia and Europe. And that gas pipeline passes through their territory. Kiev has not shut down Russian gas deliveries to Hungary but, without Nord Stream, Ukraine holds the key to gas that travels overland - cheaper and with a more reliable supply - from Russia to Europe. And he will keep it even if the war ends today.

In accordance with this thesis, the Joe Biden government sees these Ukrainian actions as an argument for not delivering all the weapons it demands. That includes GMLRS missiles of more than 90 kilometers and western fighter-bombers. The US has seen how Ukraine has modified its surface-to-surface missiles to give them a range of up to 300 kilometers, with which it can strike deep into Russian territory.

kyiv has also upgraded Soviet-era drones to successfully strike Russian strategic bomber bases more than 200 kilometers from the border. The Russian government has placed anti-aircraft systems in Moscow and last week the St. Petersburg airport was closed for several hours due to a foiled Ukrainian drone attack.

Also a few days ago the Belarusian opposition attacked a Russian A-50 radar plane in the capital of that country, Minsk, as President Lukashenko acknowledged today. Fifty people have been detained in connection with the attack. Russia only has nine operational A-50s, and the cost of each is about 315 million euros. The Belarusian opposition is supported by Ukraine, and the A-50 was flying support missions for Russian forces that invaded that country a year ago.

Other spectacular operations carried out by the Ukrainians have been the attack with naval drones on the Russian Black Sea Fleet at its base in Sevastopol, in Crimea, the murder of the daughter of Russian ultranationalist ideologue Alessander Dugin, in Moscow, and the arson at dozens of military bases, ammunition depots and recruitment centers in Russia. The US believes that some of those actions have been carried out by the Ukrainians; others, by Ukrainian agents with the collaboration of Russian citizens; and, finally, a significant portion by Russians who are not enthusiastic about being sent to a war that is butchery, with pay that, while high by Russian standards, is often late.

 

https://www.elmundo.es/internacional/2023/03/07/64077ba7e4d4d82a378b4578.html