Suspected attack due to leaks in pipelines

Dusseldorf, Stockholm Several European countries believe that an attack is possible as the cause of the three leaks found in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 Baltic Sea pipelines. It was still unclear on Tuesday afternoon what exactly caused the leaks. As the Handelsblatt learned from German security circles, there is a lot to be said for targeted sabotage.

Since the technical effort for such an approach is no small thing, the only possible author is a state actor, it said. The governments of Denmark and Poland also did not rule out a targeted disruption.

An unusually strong drop in pressure had already been detected in one of the pipelines on Monday night. With Nord Stream 1, both tubes are said to be affected, with Nord Stream 2 one or both, the Handelsblatt learned from Russian industry circles. A possible repair is described as very difficult: the damage occurs at a depth of 70 meters, gas is escaping, it was said.