Did Ukrainian special forces play a key role in the sabotage of the Russian gas pipeline?

Đặc nhiệm Ukraine đóng vai trò chính trong vụ phá hoại đường ống dẫn khí đốt Nga? - Ảnh 1. — Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline sabotaged in September 2022

Roman Chervinsky, a colonel in Ukraine's special forces, was the "coordinator" of the sabotage campaign against the Nord Stream gas pipeline, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to The Washington Post and Der Spiegel .

The two newspapers quoted officials in the United States and other European countries, as well as people with knowledge of the sabotage campaign.

Colonel Chervinsky was responsible for logistics and supervised a team of six people who used fake documents to rent ships and scuba gear to plant explosives in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipeline systems.

The Washington Post reported that Colonel Chervinsky did not plan or act alone in this campaign, but received orders from Ukrainian officials.

A total of four major leaks were discovered in two pipelines off the Danish island of Bornholm in late September last year. Seismological institutes had recorded two underwater explosions before that.

The sabotage played a central role in geopolitical tensions in Europe, as Russia subsequently decided to cut off gas supplies to countries on the continent.

At that time, depending on the source of information, the US, Russia, and Ukraine were the names suspected of being behind this incident. However, none of them accepted responsibility.

In an interview on Russian television on March 25, President Vladimir Putin said he agreed with the conclusion of famous investigative journalist Seymour Hersh that US intelligence was behind the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosion, according to TASS news agency.

Through his lawyer, Mr. Chervinsky denied any role in the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipeline systems, calling it a Russian plot to blame Ukraine.

According to The Washington Post , the sabotage campaign was carried out without informing President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Kyiv government has not commented on the above conclusions of the two German and American newspapers.

Colonel Chervinsky is currently on trial in Kyiv on charges of abusing his power to help a Russian pilot defect.

Source link