A senior official said on Wednesday that the European Union suspects that damage to two underwater natural gas pipelines was sabotage and is warning of retaliation for any attack on Europe's energy networks.
The episode underscored the vulnerability of Europe's energy infrastructure and heightened tensions in the continent that has been rocked by the seven-month war in Ukraine. Poland and some experts said Russia was probably to blame and could benefit from further market instability.
Speculative explosions rattled the Baltic Sea before unusual leaks were discovered Tuesday on two underwater natural gas pipelines running from Russia to Germany. The EU is trying to keep a lid on soaring gas and electricity prices.
All available information indicates that leaks are the result of a deliberate act, E.U. Foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on behalf of the bloc's 27 members. Any deliberate disruption of the European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response. European leaders and experts pointed out the possibility of sabotage given Russia's energy standoff. Three leaks were reported on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which were filled with natural gas but were not delivering fuel to Europe.
It said that the calculation was based on information from operators Nord Stream AG and Nord Stream 2 AG about the content of natural gas in the three pipelines that are leaking.
Some European officials and energy experts say Russia is likely to be responsible for the rise in energy prices and economic anxiety in Europe because it benefits from higher energy prices and economic anxiety. But others cautioned against pointing fingers until investigators are able to determine what happened.
As long as there is gas, it is dangerous to be there, B tzauw said, declining to say when experts would be able to see the pipes, which he said was made of 12 centimeter 5 inch thick steel coated with concrete. They lie on the seabed between 70 and 90 meters 230 feet and 295 feet deep.
All of the leaks were in international waters. Two are within the Danish exclusive economic zone, while the third is in the Swedish equivalent.