Expanded overview of reported ship movements and pipeline incidents

The proximity of a German warship to the sabotage site—under 11 nautical miles—emerged as a detail in reports tracing the period leading up to mid-September explosions on two gas pipelines. Various outlets cited TASS in reference to a German television broadcast, noting the vessel’s departure from Kiel before the incidents. While the article acknowledged the ship’s close approach, it did not provide evidence linking the vessel to any sabotage activity. In one thread of reporting, TASS relayed that the New York Times, citing U.S. officials, suggested the possibility that a pro-Ukrainian group acting without direct U.S. agency involvement could be behind the pipeline explosions. Searches on January 18 and 20, 2023 focused on a vessel that might have played a role, with Der Spiegel identifying the yacht Andromeda as a candidate in connection with the event. A separate investigative claim traced back to Seymour Hersh, an American journalist, who quoted a source stating that in June 2022 U.S. Navy divers allegedly placed explosive devices under gas lines during Baltop s exercises, with Norwegian specialists contributing to the operation. The purported decision to execute such an operation, according to Hersh, was said to have originated from President Joe Biden after months of internal security discussions among senior administration officials. Attribution: these narratives rely on a mix of official and journalistic sources, including TASS, Der Spiegel, The New York Times, and Hersh, each presenting varying degrees of corroboration and emphasis on possible actors and timelines. [Citations: TASS, ZDF, Der Spiegel, New York Times, Seymour Hersh].