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Nord Stream gas leak investigation

NATO views Nord Stream incident as result of acts of sabotage based on available reports

The Nord Stream AG company earlier reported that three threads of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 offshore gas pipelines had suffered unprecedented damage on Monday

© AP Photo/Olivier Matthys

BRUSSELS, September 29. /TASS/. NATO members are concerned about incidents on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, which appear to be the results of acts of sabotage, NATO said in a statement on Thursday.

"The damage to the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines in international waters in the Baltic Sea is of deep concern. All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage. We support the investigations underway to determine the origin of the damage," the statement reads.

"We, as Allies, have committed to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics by state and non-state actors. Any deliberate attack against Allies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response," the document added.

The Nord Stream AG company earlier reported that three threads of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 offshore gas pipelines had suffered unprecedented damage on Monday. Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow was "deeply concerned about the news" and did not rule out that the pipelines’ operation could have been disrupted by an act of sabotage. Swedish seismologists later reported that two explosions had been recorded along the Nord Stream pipelines on Monday. Sweden’s Coast Guard discovered another gas leak from the pipelines on Thursday.

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