THE NORD STREAM GAS PIPELINE SABOTAGE

The Nord Stream gas pipeline leak has put the world on the verge of confrontation, amid world peace already at stake after Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Russia has directly blamed the US-Ukraine for this incident, while the USA has termed a big conspiracy to create an energy crisis in European countries during the winter season. Actually, in 2011, Russia and Germany signed an agreement on a 1222 km long Nord Stream pipeline for easy and safe transportation of natural gas. The pipeline was commissioned in October 2012. Through this pipeline, Russia supplies 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Germany per year. This pipeline became chronic and dilapidated. So Russia started Nord Stream2. This is completed in 2021. USA and some European countries had objected this project. Recently, there were reports of rupture of Nord Stream pipelines and gas leaks from Russia’s Baltic Sea to Europe. There are two gas leaks in both the pipelines. Although the pipeline had not been in operation since the time of the Russia-Ukraine war, but both lines were filled with gas. The extent of damage caused to the marine environment is not yet known. But it is estimated that if the entire gas reserves go into the water through the leak, then about 200,000 tons of methane gas will be emitted. Natural gas is composed mostly of methane, which is the second most powerful green gas after carbon dioxide. In such conditions, the possibility of major environmental damage is being expressed. This issue is gaining momentum. NATO says that the pipelines have been deliberately targeted. This is an attack on the interests of NATO countries and NATO will retaliate for it. The EU has also taken this seriously. It says it is a well-intentioned conspiracy and is aimed at exacerbating the energy crisis in Europe. The EU has also warned of retaliation on the lines of NATO.

Both USA and Russia alleged each for sabotage. Before the leak there were several explosions in the Baltic Sea one after the other. It is alleged that these explosions have caused damage to the pipeline. The quality and depth of Nord Stream is stateof-the-art. In such a situation, the chances of damage to the pipeline itself are negligible. Then the question arises as to who has done this audacity? Russia’s reason for suspicion is that the leak occurred exactly when Norway and Poland announced the commissioning of the Trans-Baltic Pipeline. After the commissioning, the countries of Eastern Europe will no longer be dependent on Russia. So Kremlin may have damaged the Nord Stream to create an energy crisis. Since both the pipelines are built by Russian company Gazprom and it has 51% stake in the entire project. The cost of project of Nord Stream 2 of $11. In such a situation why Russia would harm itself ? If Kremlin’s intention was to push Europe into an energy crisis, he could have openly announced a halt to gas supplies. Ukraine has also blamed Russia. Russia has called a meeting of the Security Council to investigate the whole matter, calling the allegation a ‘stupid and absurd’. Then is this action of USA? The finger is being raised on America because USA and some countries of Central and Eastern Europe have been opposing the creation of Nord Stream 2 from the very beginning. The USA believes that its construction will increase Putin’s influence in Europe and put Putin in a bargaining position with big countries such as Germany, Britain and France. US have said on several occasions that this pipeline is part of Russia’s broader strategy to weaken the West by increasing European dependence on Russian gas supplies. President Joe Biden said just before the Russia-Ukraine war that the US would block Nord Stream 2 if it invaded Ukraine. Poland and Ukraine are also under suspicion. President Putin suspects that Ukraine sabotaged the pipeline to weaken Russia economically and cut its influence on Europe. There is another reason to doubt Ukraine. After the start of Nord Stream2, a big source of his income was going to end. The Nord Stream One went to Europe via Ukraine. Ukraine used to receive an amount of $ 1 billion annually from Russia in the form of transistor fee. Now through Nord Stream 2, Russia wants to bypass Ukraine and reach European countries. So may have Ukraine damaged the pipeline. The dangerous way methane gas is leaking in the Baltic Sea has affected the ecosystem of the ocean and it infuses the world into a new environmental crisis. In such a situation, the question is who is responsible for the damage caused to the flora and fauna of the sea due to the strategic competition of the superpowers?

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

DR SURESH YADAV  The writer is Freelancer and Commentator on International Affairs