FT: The EU may strengthen the protection of the sea after the explosions of the “Nord Stream”

The European Union is considering the possibility of jointly patrolling the sea with the participating countries and conducting exercises to protect maritime infrastructure. About it reported the Financial Times, citing the new EU maritime strategy.

The updated strategy of the European Union provides for annual joint naval exercises of the member states of the union and an increase in maritime patrols. According to European Commissioner for the Environment Virginijus Sinkevičius, it will help increase and expand satellite monitoring and intelligence sharing.

The European Commissioner stressed that after the explosions of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, it is necessary to strengthen “monitoring and protection of critical maritime infrastructure and ships from physical and cyber threats.”

The explosion of the Nord Stream gas pipelines happened on September 26, 2022. Then leaks were discovered in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Sweden, and two more in the zone of Denmark. In October 2022, the Swedish authorities, which in particular (together with Denmark and Germany) are involved in the investigation of the incident, announced its completion, stating “increasing suspicions of gross sabotage”, without naming those involved in the undermining.

March 7 The New York Times reported about the emergence of new US intelligence data, which refers to the involvement of a certain “pro-Ukrainian group” in sabotage on pipelines. Sources of the newspaper among American officials specified that Washington had no evidence of involvement in the blowing up of pipelines by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his subordinates.

Later that day, the German newspaper Zeit, citing the German investigation reportedthat a Ukrainian ship, on which traces of explosives were found, could be involved in the sabotage.

After publications in the media, adviser to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak declaredthat Kyiv did not take part in the sabotage against the Nord Streams and has no information about some pro-Ukrainian group.

March 9, Press Secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov declaredthat the Russian authorities find it hard to believe that some pro-Ukrainian forces are behind the Nord Stream bombing. According to him, such an operation “can only be handled by a well-trained state special service, of which there are not so many in our world.”