BERLIN, February 19. /TASS/. The perpetrators behind the explosions of the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines allegedly defied US warnings and proceeded without Washington’s approval, Der Spiegel magazine reported. 

Citing anonymous sources, the publication says that the US government allegedly attempted to prevent the sabotage, with a CIA representative based in Kiev reportedly demanding that Ukrainian presidential aides cancel the operation. High-ranking military officials, including the office of then-Commander-in-Chief Valery Zaluzhny, are said to have recognized that the pipeline destruction plans had been uncovered.

Despite these warnings, the magazine asserts, the sabotage group persisted in their actions independently of US consent. Der Spiegel further claims that the saboteurs received private funding from Ukraine.

Previously, the magazine reported that the CIA was aware early on of the sabotage plans and had engaged in discussions with the perpetrators, allegedly opposing the operation. The CIA has vehemently denied these allegations, with a spokesperson dismissing Der Spiegel’s account as completely and utterly false and asserting that the magazine’s investigation is extremely inaccurate and unreliable.

In addition, Der Spiegel highlighted that the Federal Supreme Court of Germany considers it "highly likely" that the explosions were carried out "on the orders of a foreign state." The court’s ruling, dated December 10 and issued in response to an appeal by Ukrainian citizen Sergey Kuznetsov’s defense - who is suspected of involvement and currently detained in Germany after his arrest in Italy - implies Ukraine’s possible involvement.

The attacks, which caused unprecedented damage to three Nord Stream lines and the uncommissioned Nord Stream 2, occurred on September 26, 2022. The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has since initiated a case, labeling the incident an act of international terrorism.