🌊🔍 NORD STREAM SABOTAGE: WHO DID IT & WHY?

This week marked the anniversary of the Nord Stream bombings, the biggest, most geopolitically significant attack on energy infrastructure in modern history.

What is Nord Stream?

🟠 4 underwater pipelines for pumping Russian gas to Europe, two apiece via Nord Stream 1 & 2, respectively

🟠 Network offered Germany up to 110 BCM of gas per year, enough to turn it into a regional energy hub

🟠 Russia got a direct energy route to Central Europe, bypassing Eastern European nations eager to use transit as leverage

US opposition

🟠 Fearing the melding of Russia’s vast resources with German industry, & eager to sell its own, pricey LNG, US opposition to Nord Stream goes back to the Bush administration

🟠 In 2019, Trump imposed sanctions on Nord Stream II

🟠 In February 2022, weeks before the Ukraine conflict began, Biden warned that if Russian “tanks or troops cross[ed]” the border, the US would “end” Nord Stream 2

Sabotage timeline

🟠 On September 26, 2022, seismic stations in Denmark, Sweden & Germany picked up underwater explosions

🟠 3 of the network’s 4 pipelines were hit, 80M below the Baltic Sea, in Denmark’s exclusive economic zone

🟠 Putin called the attack an “Anglo-Saxon” plot to destroy “Europe’s entire energy infrastructure”

🟠 The bombings caused the largest human-caused methane release in history

Germany, Denmark & Sweden launched probes. Russia slammed them for foot-dragging & refusal to cooperate. Denmark & Sweden closed their probes in 2024 without publicizing results. Germany’s continues.

Hersh’s bombshell

In March 2023, Sy Hersh reported that the attacks were planned by the CIA & carried out by the US Navy with Norway’s help.

Legacy US & German media then started pushing their own stories claiming the attacks were carried out by Ukrainians using a rented yacht, & that NATO didn’t know. Russia didn’t buy it.

In his 2024 interview with Tucker Carlson, Putin said the attack required both the motivation & capabilities to pull off, & hinted at CIA involvement.

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💸🇪🇺🇷🇺 EU plans to steal Russian assets over Hungarian objections – reports

📑 European Union leaders are planning talks in Copenhagen to gather support from enough countries to bypass Hungary’s veto on seizing frozen Russian funds to finance Ukraine, media reports say.

While the move would require unanimous support from all 27 member states, the European Commission has proposed a rule change to a qualified majority, isolating Hungary and ignoring its objections.

👉 After the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine in 2022, the European Union and the G7 froze almost half of Russian foreign currency reserves, totaling some €300B ($350B at the current exchange rate). About €200B is held in European accounts, mainly by Belgium's Euroclear, one of the world's largest clearing houses.

The Russian Federation has called attempts to seize its reserves as theft of both private and state financial assets.

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🚨🇷🇺 Russia does not plan attacks on NATO countries, but any aggression will receive decisive resistance - Lavrov

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🚨🇷🇺 Putin's proposal to maintain restrictions under the New START Treaty will create conditions to avoid a strategic arms race - Lavrov

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🚨🇷🇺 Russia advocates for the UN Security Council reform, but "does not campaign for a revolution against anyone" - Lavrov

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📑🇷🇺 Key statements by Russian FM Lavrov at the UN General Assembly:

🟠 Today, we are essentially dealing with an attempt to carry out a coup to bury the UN decision on the creation of a Palestinian state

🟠 Urgent measures need to be taken to prevent a situation where there will be nothing to recognize for Palestine in terms of territory

🟠 Russia considers attempts by the West to restore UN Security Council sanctions against Iran as unacceptable and illegal

🟠 Russia remains open to negotiations to address the root causes of the Ukrainian conflict

🟠 Russia's security and vital interests must be reliably guaranteed

🟠 The rights of Russians and Russian speakers in the territories controlled by Ukraine must be restored

🟠 Ensuring Russia’s interests and the rights of Russians in the territories controlled by Kiev is the foundation for negotiations on security guarantees for Ukraine

🟠 Russia does not plan attacks on NATO countries, but any aggression will receive decisive resistance

🟠 Moscow has certain hopes for resolving the Ukraine issue through continued dialogue between Russia and the US on this matter

🟠 Putin’s proposal to maintain restrictions under the New START Treaty will create conditions to avoid a strategic arms race

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📹LIVE: Russian FM Lavrov holds press conference on UNGA sidelines

👉Watch live in our Telegram

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🚨🇷🇺 Russia never targets civilian infrastructure including in NATO countries - Lavrov in response to question about drone incidents in Europe

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🚨🇷🇺 The essence of the snapback sanctions mechanism in Resolution 2231 is to "keep Iran constantly by the throat" - Lavrov

💬 "Iran's agreement to the resolution with the sanctions snapback mechanism is further confirmation that it does not intend to violate the JCPOA requirements."

The "E3" is unable to reach an agreement on the JCPOA and is engaging in deliberate provocations to economically strangle Iran, Lavrov added.

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🚨🇷🇺 We do not see the United States deviating from its course of conducting an open, honest dialogue with Russia - Lavrov

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🚨🇷🇺 To count on return to 2022 borders in Ukraine would be political blindness - Lavrov

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🚨🇷🇺 Countries that will try to shoot down any objects in Russian air space will regret that - Lavrov

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🚨🇷🇺 Russia fully respects India’s foreign policy, Putin will visit Delhi in December - Lavrov

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🚨🇷🇺 Russia, US agree to hold third round of talks on visas, diplomatic property this fall - Lavrov

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🚨🇷🇺 Ukraine will regret if it carries out any provocations against Russia - Lavrov

💬 "Russia will not tolerate violations of its airspace by those who are openly preparing for war against Russia."

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🚨🇷🇺📑Key points from Lavrov's press conference on UNGA sidelines

On UAV incidents & airspace conflicts:

🟠 Russia does not target missiles or UAVs at objects in Europe or NATO countries

🟠 Attempts to shoot down objects in Russian airspace will make those who try it "seriously regret it"

🟠 Russia will not tolerate violations of its airspace by those openly preparing for war against it

On Ukraine:

🟠 UN Human Rights Office lawyers refused to name alleged Bucha "victims," citing relatives' safety

🟠 Expecting Ukraine to return to its 2022 borders would be "political blindness"

On relations with US:

🟠 Moscow sees no deviation from Washington's course toward open, honest dialogue with Russia

🟠 A third round of Russia-US consultations on visas, diplomatic property will be held this fall

🟠 Russia has seen the US's initial reaction to its proposal to extend New START limitations for another year

🟠 On Trump's "paper tiger" remark: public diplomacy employs various tactics

On Middle East:

🟠 Iran's acceptance of the snapback mechanism resolution further confirms Tehran doesn't intend to violate the nuclear deal

🟠 The "E3" (France, Germany, UK) is unreliable in JCPOA matters and engages in provocations to "suffocate" Iran

🟠 Russia considers sanctions reimposition against Iran legally void and non-implementable

🟠 The published "collective administration" plan for Gaza resembles creating another reservation

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