The Danish Energy Agency (DEA) has invited Nord Stream 2 AG, the operator of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, to participate in the removal of an unknown object located nearby. The agency plans to upgrade this object with the help of the Danish Ministry of Defense. Message DEA.
According to preliminary data from the Danish Ministry of Defense, the discovered object has a cylindrical shape. Its height is about 40 cm and its diameter is 10 cm. Experts suggest it could be a marine smoke buoy. Such buoys are used by ships to send distress signals day and night. According to experts, the object “does not pose an immediate threat to security.”
“To clarify the nature of the object, the Danish authorities decided to remove it with the help of the Danish Ministry of Defense. In this context, the Danish Energy Agency has invited the owner of the Nord Stream 2 AG gas pipeline to participate in the operation.”
Nord Stream AG has not yet responded to the invitation to take part in the operation.
Object under water for a long time
Reports of an unknown object near the pipeline surfaced about two weeks ago. Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten reported on March 10 that the Deputy Director of the DEA called Flemming Larsen, CEO of Geus, the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, which monitors seismic activity.
“The deputy director informed him that an object had been discovered near the Nord Stream pipelines near Bornholm,” the newspaper said, citing a note written by Larsen.
The DEA vice president said the object could not be detected. At the same time, no objects were found near the pipeline in the video recordings made in 2019. The newspaper states that it is not yet possible to determine exactly when it appeared there, and that there is little information about this latest find in a single intact pipe.
“It doesn’t look like it was placed very recently: the artifact is overgrown, indicating it’s been at sea for some time,” said the agency’s deputy director.
Jyllands-Posten reached out to Military Academy analyst Kenneth Helenschläger Buhl for comment. He acknowledged that if the object was “overgrown”, it could be a sign of a long stay at sea.
“This is an argument against the version that the Russians have recently planted false evidence,” he said. “On the other hand, you can hide your interference well today, so you can’t be 100% sure here.”
He also drew attention to the small size of the object found. According to the expert, the scale of damage to other lines of the gas pipeline indicates that several hundred kilograms of explosives were used. Such damage could not have been caused by a “small object of 30 by 15 cm”. Nor does the expert think that it could be an antenna emitting radio waves.
“In general, radio waves do not propagate well underwater. Sure, it could be a sound antenna that sends and receives sound waves, but what is its purpose in this case? “I don’t quite understand,” he said.
According to the expert, this is likely to be a one-way bomb used to detonate sea mines. However, in this case, only a small hole will be opened in the natural gas pipeline.”
Russia wants to examine the device
Russian President Vladimir Putin also spoke about an unidentified object near Nord Stream in mid-March. He said Gazprom had obtained permission from the Danish authorities to inspect the explosion site, but was also investigating other areas near the gas pipeline.
“A column standing at the site of the explosion was found about 30 km from the explosion site. And what kind of place is this – these are the most vulnerable places in the gas pipeline, this is a junction, a pipe junction. “A column was found there,” said Putin.
According to the head of state, this “column” could be an antenna for receiving a signal that would detonate an explosive device placed under the pipeline. In this context, Russia is seeking permission from Denmark to conduct a field survey, both independently and as part of an international team.
Explosions in Nord Stream and the decommissioned Nord Stream 2 occurred on September 26, 2022. Russia described the incident as an act of terrorism, and Putin said “Anglo-Saxons” were involved in blowing up the gas pipelines. The governments of Germany and Sweden described the incident as a sabotage and launched an investigation that has yet to identify the perpetrators and customers.
“We told the Russians that we would investigate thoroughly. Lars Lökke Rasmussen, head of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, “When we do, we will announce the results of the study.”
In March, The New York Times reported, citing intelligence, that the explosions were carried out by a pro-Ukrainian group. The Russian President called such reports “absurd”. Another version of the possible organizers of the blasts was suggested by the American journalist Seymour Hersh, who published his own investigation in February, mentioning the involvement of the American and Norwegian military in the blast.
Source: Gazeta
Ben Stock is a business analyst and writer for “Social Bites”. He offers insightful articles on the latest business news and developments, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of the business world.