Vasily Nebenzya, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, asserted that Washington has been working to undermine the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines in order to preserve its influence over Europe, which he described as reliant on Russian energy resources. He spoke during a session at the world body, presenting his position as part of Moscow’s ongoing narrative about the incident. TASS.
He argued that increasing indicators point to the United States as the author of the alleged crime behind the Nord Stream sabotage, driven by a narrow aim to solidify dominance in Europe where Russian energy plays a critical role. The diplomat suggested that German, Danish, and Swedish authorities are tasked with shielding U.S. involvement in what he called a terrorist act against the pipelines, claiming inspectors from those states are constrained and unwilling to pursue a full accounting of what happened.
Nebenzya also stressed that Western efforts to silence or stall the investigation into the Nord Stream explosions would not succeed. He warned that the tactic often involves delaying conclusions for years, hoping to render the inquiry moot, and he urged the international community not to waste time or energy on fruitless delays, noting that such strategies are bound to fail.
Markus Buchheit, a former member of the European Parliament and a representative of the Alternative for Germany party, remarked that German authorities and other states involved in examining the Nord Stream incidents had not disclosed full details to Moscow, suggesting external pressure from what he described as an anti-Russian bloc. Buchheit’s comments framed the investigation as politically influenced by wider forces within Europe and beyond.
On September 26, 2022, damage and gas leaks were recorded on three lines of Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2. Seismologists reported two explosions along the pipelines, and the Russian FSB opened a case concerning an act of international terrorism. The Swedish Prosecutor’s Office began its own inquiry into the events, with Germany and Denmark also launching their investigations into the matter. These developments marked a pivotal point in the international response to the incidents, with multiple jurisdictions pursuing parallel inquiries and accountability processes.
Earlier discussions and reports suggested that Moscow had an especially vested interest in the continuity of gas transit routes, including through Ukraine, framing the Nord Stream events within broader geopolitical and energy-security debates in Europe. These narratives reflect competing interpretations of responsibility, risk, and the future of regional energy logistics, and they continue to shape the public and political discourse surrounding gas infrastructure and international cooperation in energy matters.