BERLIN, September 27. /TASS/. A deliberate act of sabotage could have been the reason for a pressure drop at the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and both lines of Nord Stream, Der Tagesspiegel daily reported, citing sources.
In both cases, an investigation into the cause of the incident has been opened, with German federal security bodies participating, the paper said. "We cannot imagine a scenario, which is not a deliberate act of sabotage," a source familiar with the authorities’ view was quoted as saying. "All evidence points away from a coincidence," he added.
This alleged sabotage is far from trivial, sources said, adding that it was likely carried out using special forces, for example, divers or a submarine.
Speaking about the culprits of the alleged sabotage, initially it was suggested that Ukrainian or Ukraine-related forces could have been responsible, the newspaper wrote. Other scenarios are also being considered. Berlin stressed it was entirely possible that the apparent sabotage was planned prior to the suspension of gas supplies, since the timeframe for such special operations can be lengthy, according to Der Tagesspiegel.
On Monday, Nord Stream AG, the operator of the gas pipeline, said a pressure drop had been registered at both lines of Nord Stream, with the causes being looked into. Earlier, a sharp decrease in pressure was reported at Nord Stream 2 in the Danish exclusive economic zone southeast of the island of Bornholm. Later, the Danish Maritime Authority reported gas leakages not far from Bornholm.