Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the explosions of the Nord Stream pipelines, which cut off a major route for Russian gas exports to Europe, fueling geopolitical tensions.
He said that such a blast can only be done by someone who is "interested" and who is "capable" of pulling off an attack like this.
In an interview with ex-Fox News journalist, Tucker Carlson, Putin said, "I won't get into details, but people always say in such cases: 'Look for someone who is interested'. But in this case, we should not only look for someone who is interested but also for someone who has capabilities."
Nord Stream gas pipelines were attacked in the Baltic Sea in September 2022, cutting off a major route for Russian gas exports to Europe and fuelling geopolitical tensions.
"Because there may be many people interested, but not all of them are capable of sinking to the bottom of the Baltic Sea and carrying out this explosion. These two components should be connected: who is interested and who is capable of doing it," he said, as quoted by the transcript by the Russian Presidency.
On being asked why Germany -- which sustained huge economic impact from the incident, is not responding much to it, the Russian President said that today's German leadership is guided by "collective West" rather than its own 'national interests.'
He also suggested that Russia is ready to supply gas to Europe through the Nord Stream-2, but Germany has not opened it.
"After all, it is not only about Nord Stream-1, which was blown up, and Nord Stream-2, which was damaged, but one pipe is safe and sound, and gas can be supplied to Europe through it, but Germany does not open it. We are ready, please," Putin said.
On September 27, 2022, Nord Stream AG reported "unprecedented damage" that took place on three lines of Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines. Swedish seismologists registered two explosions that occurred on September 26 near the pipeline route, TASS reported.
Notably, Russia has accused the US of staging the explosions, which they have described as a "terror attack." However, the US has denied any involvement.
In March 2023, German media claimed that a pro-Ukraine group had sabotaged the pipelines using a vessel that set out from the port of Rostock. Ukraine rejected suggestions it might have ordered the attack, and German officials voiced caution over the report, Al Jazeera reported.
Recently, Sweden said it had closed an investigation into the 2022 explosions that crippled Russia's Nord Stream pipelines.
The Swedish authorities, who have previously said that they suspect an unknown state actor of responsibility, said that they are halting the probe after verifying that the case does not fall under its jurisdiction, as reported by Al Jazeera.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
