Gazprom examined the site of explosions at Nord Stream

“Gazprom” was admitted to the sites of explosions on the “Nord Streams”, said Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to him, two craters were found at the site – three and five meters deep. Mr. Putin also commented on the demand for Russian gas in Europe after the construction of a hub in Turkey. In his opinion, there will be buyers, the president offered to see what will happen “this winter, next winter.”

“Today I have Miller (the head of Gazprom.— “b”) reported in the morning that they had examined, by the way, Gazprom had been allowed to examine the site of the explosion. <...> This is an obvious terrorist attack, an obvious one. It is difficult for us to control this, because it is in the special economic zone of Denmark, Sweden, then Germany,” Mr. Putin said at a press conference. Video recording published on the Kremlin website.

According to the President, the explosions tore out a pipe 40 meters long. “The gap is – in total the pipes have diverged – by 259, in my opinion, meters. And a piece of the pipe that was torn out was bent 90 degrees and thrown 40 meters towards Nord Stream 2, which also turned out to be damaged, apparently, by this explosion, and fragments, and the remains of the pipe,” he added.

“Europeans, as often happens, as almost always happens, they shut their mouths, they are silent, as if it were the way it should be. Despite the fact that it really undermines their interests at the root. Someone else had the audacity to think that Russia had blown it up herself. It’s hard to imagine such nonsense that someone has thought of it, but nevertheless they come up with all sorts of such nonsense, ”said Mr. Putin.

Vladimir Putin considers a gas hub in Turkey to be a “quite realistic project.” According to him, Russia “will be able to do it pretty quickly.” The President noted that the project was proposed due to the fact that “working directly with European partners is very difficult.” “There will be enough people willing to conclude contracts, there is no doubt about that. Let’s see what will happen this winter, next winter, but I’m sure the contracts will be signed. There are no doubts. In the end, we can use European countries as transit countries for deliveries to other regions of the world, but I have no doubt that there will be many people in Europe who want it,” the head of state said.

“In this regard, it is easier for us to work with Turkey, firstly, because President Erdogan is a man of his word. If we agree on something with him … it may be difficult to agree, but if we agree, we try to fulfill it. Secondly, it is easier for us to control the Black Sea,” the President of the Russian Federation explained.

In September, at Nord Stream and the uncommissioned Nord Stream 2 pressure dropped sharply. Three out of four pipes of gas pipelines were damaged, gas leaks occurred there. All parties believe that there was a diversion. No one claimed responsibility for the explosions. Russia has proposed expanding gas pipelines across the Black Sea to Turkey in order to redirect supplies there from the blown pipes of the Nord Stream system.

About the idea – in the material “Kommersant” “The biggest challenge in history”.

Leonid Uvarchev