NATO threatens to retaliate against suspected Nord Stream sabotage, ratcheting up tension with Russia

Ryan Hogg
Updated ·3 min read
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Danish military video of bubbles in Baltic Sea where Nord Stream pipeline leaked.
A Danish military image of a site in the Baltic Sea where natural gas from a Nord Stream pipeline is bubbling to the surface.Danish Defense Command

  • NATO on Thursday threatened to retaliate against suspected sabotage of the Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines.

  • The threat increases tension with Russia, which some European lawmakers have blamed for the damage.

  • All four of the pipelines comprising the damaged Nord Stream system are leaking gas into the Baltic Sea.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has threatened to retaliate against suspected sabotage of the Nord Stream natural-gas pipelines that run between Russia and Europe.

NATO issued a statement Thursday saying the leaks were of "deep concern," and that if the damage was caused by sabotage, it would be met with a "united and determined response."

The statement marks an escalation of tensions between the West and Russia and came after after several European leaders blamed Moscow for the leaks.

"All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage," the North Atlantic Council, NATO's political decision-making body, said in its statement Thursday. "These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage. We support the investigations underway to determine the origin of the damage."

The statement continued: "We, as allies, have committed to prepare for, deter, and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics by state and non-state actors. Any deliberate attack against allies' critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response."

The statement came after the Swedish coast guard said a fourth leak had been discovered on the Nord Stream pipelines.

"Two of these four are in Sweden's exclusive economic zone," coast guard spokesperson Jenny Larsson told the Svenska Dagbladet newspaper on Wednesday night, adding that the other two breaches were in Denmark's zone, Reuters reported.

The initial leak was detected on Monday in Nord Stream 2 system as a drop in pressure was observed in both of its pipelines.

On Tuesday, German lawmaker Roderich Kiesewetter suggested the leaks were caused by "sabotage" by Russia, while former CIA director John Brennan told CNN on Wednesday: "This is clearly an act of sabotage of some sort and Russia is certainly the most likely suspect."

Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary-general, met Danish defence minister Morten Bødskov on Wednesday and said he had "addressed the protection of critical infrastructure in NATO countries", per the Financial Times.

"Russia has a significant military presence in the Baltic Sea region and we expect them to continue their saber-rattling," Bødskov told the newspaper.

Europe is now bracing for more disruption as tensions escalate, with the FT reporting that Norway – now the EU's biggest gas supplier  – was deploying its military to protect oil and gas installations.

Several weeks ago, the CIA told Germany that the Nord Stream pipelines could be attacked, Germany's Der Spiegel newspaper reported.

The Swedish coast guard did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

 

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