In a statement that has escalated tensions between Russia and the West, Sergey Naryshkin, the head of Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), claimed that US and British intelligence agencies were behind the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. These key energy conduits, which were built to deliver Russian gas to Germany and Western Europe, were ruptured by explosions in the Baltic Sea in September 2022.
Naryshkin, speaking to heads of security and intelligence agencies from former Soviet republics on Tuesday, asserted that the sabotage was part of a broader Western strategy to use “international terrorism” as a tool to achieve geopolitical goals. He further alleged that Western intelligence agencies were not hesitant to employ “terrorist methods” against their adversaries.
“The SVR possesses information about a direct involvement of professional saboteurs from the Anglo-American special services in this terrorist attack,” Naryshkin stated, accusing the US and UK of orchestrating the attack on the critical energy infrastructure. The attack on the Nord Stream pipelines, he argued, represented an effort by the West to undermine Russia’s energy influence in Europe.
The Russian spy chief also emphasized the symbolic nature of the destruction, noting that the Nord Stream project was a joint initiative between Russia and several European nations. The pipelines were designed to ensure a steady and affordable supply of Russian gas to Europe. “Russia built it together with constructively minded Europeans, and the Anglo-Americans blew it up,” Naryshkin said, underscoring his view of the sabotage as a targeted strike against both Russian interests and European energy security.
Naryshkin’s comments also touched on US domestic politics, claiming that the destruction of the pipelines was an objective shared not only by the Democratic Party but also by the Republican administration in the United States, suggesting bipartisan involvement in the operation.
The Nord Stream explosions have already been the subject of international investigation, with various parties pointing fingers at different potential perpetrators. However, Naryshkin’s statement represents the most direct accusation from a Russian official implicating Western intelligence services in the sabotage.
