In what can be first major accusation against a leading NATO member, Russia on Saturday (October 29), said that British navy personnel blew up Nord Stream pipelines last month. With this allegation, Russia is directly accusing UK of sabotaging critical Russian infrastructure.
While making the claim, Russian defence ministry did not give any evidence.
“As per available information, representatives of a unit of the British Navy took part in the planning, provision and implementation of a terrorist attack in the Baltic Sea on September 26 this year – blowing up the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines,” the ministry said.
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Russia has also alleged that British ‘specialists’ who were involved in blowing up Nord Stream pipelines helped Ukraine carry out drone strike in Sevastopol in Russia-annexed Crimea. Russia claimed the British specialists were based in southern Ukrainian city of Ochakiv.
UK defence ministry rejected Russian claims.
“To detract from their disastrous handling of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale,” the ministry tweeted.
To detract from their disastrous handling of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale
This invented story, says more about arguments going on inside the Russian Government than it does about the west
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) October 29, 2022
Nord Stream pipelines are critical as they transmit Russian gas to Europe.
Russia has previously blamed the West for the explosions last month that ruptured the pipelines.
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But Russia has never before given specific details of who was responsible for the damage to the pipelines, previously the largest routes for Russian gas supplies to Europe.
(With inputs from agencies)
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