Russia is preparing to make expensive repairs to a pair of natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea that many Western experts suspected Moscow had ordered sabotaged to begin with.
Moscow&#8217;s latest moves complicate already uncertain theories about who could be responsible for bombing the Nord Stream pipelines in September and why. Swedish investigators looking into the incident have concluded that a state actor is most likely responsible, though they cannot say for sure who, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/26/world/europe/nordstream-pipeline-explosion-russia.html">The New York Times</a>.
On September 26, three explosions sprung four leaks in Nord Stream 1 and 2. The bombings took place at two locations inside the exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Denmark in the Baltic Sea.
After the explosions, many Western leaders and experts blamed the leaks on Russian aggression. U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63084613">said</a> on September 30 that Russia “seems” to be the culprit. Experts hypothesized that Moscow was sending a threatening message against the West’s underwater infrastructure, as well as cutting off a main artery for Europe’s access to Russian gas fields ahead of winter.
Russia has repeatedly denied the accusations. Investigators have failed to come up with evidence to support the charge against Russia. Some European officials have backed off earlier condemnations of Russia and expressed regret that so many fingers were pointed at Moscow before proper evidence was gathered to support the charge.
“The governments that waited to comment before drawing conclusions played this right,” one European official told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/12/21/russia-nord-stream-explosions/">The Washington Post</a>.
The most likely suspect is either a state or state-backed terror group, according to the Post.
“We know that this amount of explosives has to be a state-level actor,” Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told the Post. “It’s not just a single fisherman who decides to put the bomb there. It’s very professional.”
The Nord Stream pipelines do not service Finland. Still, the event is a warning. “The lesson learned is that it shows how vulnerable our energy network, our undersea cables, internet … are for all kinds of terrorists,” Haavisto said.
Daniel Stenling, Sweden’s top counterintelligence official, declined to posit a culprit to the Times. He said that the attack was “very interesting” following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“In the big context of the war in Ukraine that is ongoing, it’s very interesting and very serious,” he told the Times while emphasizing the growing threats from Russia on cybersecurity and espionage.

Nord Stream pipelines

Nord Stream Whodunit Gets Complicated As Russia Takes Steps To Repair Sabotaged Pipelines

Energy

Nord Stream Pipeline

Russia

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

World

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russian</a> government claimed without evidence on Saturday that the British Military blew up the country&#8217;s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nord-stream-pipeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nord Stream</a> gas pipelines last month, a claim that was met with immediate pushback from London.
&#8220;According to available information, representatives of this 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 &#8211; blowing up the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines,&#8221; Russia claimed without providing any evidence.
The British government responded by calling the allegations false and saying that Russia was trying to distract from their failures in Ukraine.
&#8220;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,&#8221; the British defense ministry said. &#8220;This invented story, says more about arguments going on inside the Russian government than it does about the West.&#8221;
Russia also accused the British Military of assisting Ukrainian forces conducting a drone attack on the Russian Black Sea fleet in Sevastopol, the biggest city in Russian-annexed Crimea, Saturday morning.
&#8220;The preparation of this terrorist act and the training of servicemen of the Ukrainian 73rd Special Center for Naval Operations were carried out under the guidance of British specialists located in the town of Ochakiv,&#8221; the Russian government claimed. “As a result of the operational measures taken by the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, all the air drones were destroyed, though minor damage was done to the minesweeper Ivan Golubets.&#8221;
Video online showed the drones traveling through the water looking for Russian ships to attack.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Unbelievable footage from one of the marine drones used in the attack on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. 
(Via Ukrainian journalist Andriy Tsaplienko)
Full story: <a href="https://t.co/YdtcFELiSy">https://t.co/YdtcFELiSy</a> <a href="https://t.co/Nw5YbHeQMU">pic.twitter.com/Nw5YbHeQMU</a>
&mdash; James Waterhouse (@JamWaterhouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/JamWaterhouse/status/1586358395933970433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
The small unmanned surface vessel found on shore near Sevastopol appears to be a US-supplied explosive drone boat. This might be one of the &quot;unmanned coastal defense vessels” listed by the Pentagon in April as being supplied to Ukraine. Still wondering what is the mother ship? <a href="https://t.co/YaluF2f5Gx">https://t.co/YaluF2f5Gx</a> <a href="https://t.co/dQGNBAb78a">pic.twitter.com/dQGNBAb78a</a>
&mdash; Chris Cavas (@CavasShips) <a href="https://twitter.com/CavasShips/status/1573166144537694209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A video of an alleged morning drone attack on the Black Sea Fleet of the Russian Federation has appeared.
We are waiting for official confirmation. <a href="https://t.co/nMdOFQ4M6I">pic.twitter.com/nMdOFQ4M6I</a>
&mdash; ТРУХА⚡️English (@TpyxaNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/TpyxaNews/status/1586350597627781120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Russia responded to the drone attack by announcing that they were withdrawing from a U.N.-brokered agreement that &#8220;has seen more than 9 million tons of grain exported from Ukraine during the war and has brought down soaring global food prices.&#8221;
&#8220;In connection with the actions of Ukrainian armed forces, led by British specialists, directed, among other things, against Russian ships that ensure the functioning of the humanitarian corridor in question (which cannot be qualified otherwise than as a terrorist attack), the Russian side cannot guarantee the safety of civilian dry cargo ships participating in the Black Sea initiative, and suspends its implementation from today for an indefinite period,&#8221; the Russians said.
President Joe Biden (D) fumed at the development, calling it &#8220;purely outrageous.&#8221;
&#8220;There&#8217;s no merit to what they&#8217;re doing,&#8221; Biden told reporters in Delaware. &#8220;The U.N. negotiated that deal and that should be the end of it.&#8221;

Sweden reports 4th leak on Nord Stream pipelines

Russia Faces Pushback After Identifying Country It Claims Sabotaged Nord Stream Pipelines; Cuts Grain Exports

Conflicts

U.K.

Authorities in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/denmark" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Denmark</a> revealed on Tuesday that “powerful explosions” caused damage last month to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nord-stream-pipeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nord Stream</a> pipeline system.
The pipelines, which carried <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">natural gas</a> under the Baltic Sea from <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> to <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/germany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Germany</a>, have been the center of geopolitical strife since the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invasion of Ukraine</a>. Russia nixed shipments through Nord Stream 1 several weeks ago, while Germany blocked the adjacent Nord Stream 2 from beginning shipments days before the war started. Sweden and Denmark <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> damage to the pipelines on September 26 as the system operator confirmed that the destruction was “unprecedented.”
The Danish Police Intelligence Service released a <a href="https://politi.dk/koebenhavns-politi/nyhedsliste/pet-og-k%C3%B8benhavns-politi-neds%C3%A6tter-f%C3%A6lles-efterforskningsgruppe-i-sagen-om-gasl%C3%A6kager-i-%C3%B8sters%C3%B8en/2022/10/18" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> announcing that preliminary investigations of the “crime scenes” confirm “extensive damage” to the pipelines caused by “powerful explosions.”
Denmark suggested that cooperation with the United Nations’ International Court of Justice, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, could be on the table as other countries carry out their own investigations. Swedish authorities said that evidence “has strengthened the suspicions of gross sabotage,” while the “continued preliminary investigation must show whether someone can be served with suspicion and later prosecuted.”
Footage shot by a Norwegian robotics company and <a href="https://www.expressen.se/nyheter/forsta-bilderna-fran-sprangda-gasroret-pa-ostersjons-botten/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> this week by the Swedish newspaper Expressen showed a massive tear in Nord Stream 1, with parts of the pipeline lodged in the seabed and over 50 meters of the system missing.
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_451870" style="width: 992px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-451870" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-451870 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616290-982x576.jpg" alt="" width="982" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616290-982x576.jpg 982w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616290-300x176.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616290-768x451.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616290-1536x901.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616290.jpg 2032w" sizes="(max-width: 982px) 100vw, 982px" />Gas leak causes bubbles on the surface of the water at Sea in Sweden on September 30 (Swedish Coast Guard Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)</div>
Meanwhile, the European Commission announced <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_6238" target="_blank" rel="noopener">details</a> of a proposal meant to increase security for infrastructure in the European Union. Ministers are encouraged to conduct stress tests on entities operating critical infrastructure while authorities in Brussels assume a “stronger support and coordination role” among member states and allies.
While some European ministers said Russia may have destroyed its own pipelines to increase gas prices, others <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tucker-carlson-fuels-suspicion-u-s-behind-nord-stream-sabotage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blamed</a> the United States for the damage, which caused natural gas to spew toward the surface of the Baltic Sea. Disabling the pipelines would remove the possibility of Germany caving to Russia and ending sanctions in time to import energy for the winter.
Footage of President Joe Biden threatening to oppose the Nord Stream 2 pipeline days before the beginning of the war <a href="https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1574685985115607040?s=20&amp;t=exDoFSWQyGXDG_Cpl8TgOQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resurfaced</a> on social media after the pipelines suffered damage. The commander-in-chief had initially <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-sanctions-russian-owned-company-behind-nord-stream-2-pipeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">waived</a> sanctions against the Russian-owned company behind Nord Stream 2, although he reimposed sanctions shortly before the conflict began.
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_451871" style="width: 992px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-451871" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-451871 size-large" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616157-982x576.jpg" alt="" width="982" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616157-982x576.jpg 982w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616157-300x176.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616157-768x451.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616157-1536x901.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/GettyImages-1243616157.jpg 2032w" sizes="(max-width: 982px) 100vw, 982px" />A fourth leak was reported on September 30 in the Nord Stream gas pipelines off the coast of Sweden (Swedish Coast Guard Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)</div>
“If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it,” Biden said earlier this year. After a reporter pressed him, Biden responded: “I promise you, we will be able to do it.”
The destruction of the Nord Stream pipeline system threatens to worsen the energy supply crisis facing much of Europe. Natural gas shipments from Russia, which had already paused exports through Nord Stream 1 before the pipeline suffered damage, accounted for 40% of the European natural gas supply last year, a rate that had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-union-social-market-economy-might-redistribute-fossil-fuel-profits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped</a> to 9% as of last month. Germany, the continent’s largest economy, has seen dependence on Russian natural gas decrease from 55% to 35%.
The European Union is currently weighing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-union-questions-russian-oil-price-cap-considers-making-fossil-fuel-companies-pay-a-solidarity-contribution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">various measures</a>, such as consumption limits, to help member states triage their power supplies through the winter. Several nations, including France and Spain, have already called for residents to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/french-president-calls-for-10-cut-in-energy-use-will-ration-power-as-a-last-resort" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reduce</a> power consumption.

Denmark reports leak in Russian Nord Stream 2 offshore gas pipeline

Danish Police Reveal Cause Of Nord Stream Pipeline Damage

Preliminary Investigation Shows Nord Stream Pipeline Destroyed By 'Powerful Explosions'

Denmark

Oil and Gas

Sweden

The Nord Stream pipeline system is the center of Europe’s geopolitical tensions as Russia invades Ukraine — at least until a few days ago.
Europeans, already battling to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-climate-bureaucrats-are-dooming-the-continent-to-a-very-dark-winter">secure enough power</a> for the winter thanks to its rapid transition toward green energy, were met on September 26 with <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">unprecedented damage</a> to the pipelines, which run natural gas from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea. Officials in Sweden reported two leaks in Nord Stream 1 shortly after a leak on the nearby Nord Stream 2 was found, while Nord Stream AG, the energy company that runs the pipeline system, remains unable to “estimate the timing of the restoration of the gas transport infrastructure.”
Ministers across Europe quickly began pointing fingers as natural gas spewed into the Baltic Sea. Given the conflict that has characterized the pipeline system, through which Russia had stopped sending natural gas a few weeks earlier, one would have to be off their rockers to not call foul. The German government, for example, has already ruled out seismic activity as a cause for the disaster and presumes the system was intentionally destroyed.
Russia, for its part, denies any involvement. When asked about the possibility of sabotage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that “no option can be ruled out” at the moment. However, as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace noted in a recent <a href="https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/88062">report</a>, Russia could benefit from the end of Nord Stream 1 by claiming a “force majeure” for breaching contracts to avoid delivering natural gas to Europe. 
Gazprom, the Russian energy conglomerate which owns a majority stake in Nord Stream AG, could also benefit from insurance claims. Others speculate that Russia destroyed its own pipelines to increase gas prices or even frame the United States.
While plenty of European leaders have blamed Russia, some have indeed noted the United States had the most to gain from the suddenly disabled pipelines. President Joe Biden <a href="https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1574685985115607040?s=20&amp;t=exDoFSWQyGXDG_Cpl8TgOQ">said</a> days before the invasion that he would “bring an end” to Nord Stream 2 if Russian troops entered Ukraine. After the pipelines were destroyed, Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-canadian-foreign-minister-melanie-joly-at-a-joint-press-availability/">called</a> the phenomenon a “tremendous opportunity” to end European reliance on Russian energy. 
As <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/economist-makes-waves-after-arguing-the-biden-admin-destroyed-the-nord-stream-pipeline">noted</a> by economist Jeffrey Sachs, the rhetoric from the White House is a “strange way to talk” if they were truly “worried about piracy on international infrastructure of vital significance.”
When asked to justify his assertion, Sachs claimed radar data indicated that American military helicopters typically based in Poland had been circling over the area of the destruction. Some have noted the United States and other NATO members had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-navy-nato-recently-tested-underwater-technology-near-location-nord-stream-pipelines-were-damaged">tested</a> underwater technology months before the pipelines were destroyed.
 Meanwhile, one report <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">revealed</a> that the CIA had cautioned Germany about possible attacks on the pipelines weeks earlier.
Even though the pipelines were not pumping gas due to Western sanctions, protesters in Germany had been calling for the energy flow to resume as electricity prices increased <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-climate-bureaucrats-are-dooming-the-continent-to-a-very-dark-winter">more than twentyfold</a>. Crippling the pipelines would likely eliminate the possibility of Germany lifting the sanctions in time to import energy for the winter — a compromise that would compel Ukraine to lose support from the largest economy in Europe.
Other Americans <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tucker-carlson-fuels-suspicion-u-s-behind-nord-stream-sabotage">suspicious</a> of their own government’s motives included Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who warned of possible retaliation from the Russian government. “If we actually blew up the Nord Stream pipelines, why wouldn’t Russia sever undersea internet cables?” Carlson wondered, noting that such a move would overthrow the worldwide banking system. “Have the people behind this… considered the effects? Maybe they have. Maybe that was the point.”

3D render of the construction of the gas pipe Nord Stream 2. The concept of sanctions and economic war, an anvil falling on a gas pipe. 3D rendering

Did The United States Sabotage The Nord Stream Pipelines?

Europe

Germany

Readers Pass

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/columbia-university" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Columbia University</a> economist Jeffrey Sachs made waves on Monday after arguing that the United States was responsible for destroying part of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nord-stream-pipeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nord Stream</a> pipeline system in <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/europe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Europe</a>.
The pipelines, which carry <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">natural gas</a> under the Baltic Sea from <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> to <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/germany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Germany</a>, have been the center of geopolitical strife since the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invasion of Ukraine</a>. Russia nixed shipments through Nord Stream 1 several weeks ago, while Germany blocked the adjacent Nord Stream 2 from beginning shipments days before. Sweden and Denmark <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">reported</a> damage to the pipelines last week as the system operator confirmed that the destruction was “unprecedented.”
During an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESG14_DsUIA">appearance</a> on Bloomberg TV, Sachs — who directs Columbia University’s Center for Sustainable Development — agreed with some Europeans who have suggested that the United States had the strongest motive to carry out the alleged attack.
&#8220;The European economy is getting hammered by the sudden cutoff of energy,” Sachs contended. “And now to make it definitive, the destruction of the Nord Stream Pipeline — which I would bet was a U.S. action, perhaps U.S. and Poland.”
When asked to justify his assertion, Sachs claimed that radar data indicated that American military helicopters typically based in Gdansk, Poland, had been circling over the area. He also noted that President Joe Biden <a href="https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1574685985115607040?s=20&amp;t=exDoFSWQyGXDG_Cpl8TgOQ">said</a> days before the invasion that he would “bring an end” to Nord Stream 2 if Russian troops entered Ukraine. After the pipelines were destroyed, Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href="https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-canadian-foreign-minister-melanie-joly-at-a-joint-press-availability/">called</a> the phenomenon a “tremendous opportunity” to end European reliance on Russian energy.
“That&#8217;s a strange way to talk if you&#8217;re worried about piracy on international infrastructure of vital significance,” Sachs said. “I know it runs counter to our narrative — you&#8217;re not allowed to say these things in the West — but the fact of the matter is all over the world when I talk to people, they think the U.S. did it. Even reporters on our papers that are involved tell me ‘Of course,’ but it doesn&#8217;t show up in our media.”
While some European ministers said Russia may have destroyed its own pipelines to increase gas prices, others <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tucker-carlson-fuels-suspicion-u-s-behind-nord-stream-sabotage">blamed</a> the United States for the damage, which caused natural gas to spew toward the surface of the Baltic Sea. Disabling the pipelines would remove the possibility of Germany caving to Russia and ending sanctions in time to import energy for the winter.
The German government assumes the destruction emerged from an intentional attack rather than seismic activity. Some have noted that the United States and other NATO members had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-navy-nato-recently-tested-underwater-technology-near-location-nord-stream-pipelines-were-damaged">tested underwater technology</a> months before the pipelines were destroyed. Meanwhile, a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/cia-warned-berlin-about-possible-attacks-gas-pipelines-summer-spiegel-2022-09-27/">report</a> from German news outlet Spiegel pointed out that the CIA had cautioned Germany about possible attacks on the pipelines weeks earlier.
Ministers in the European Union are contending with energy prices that have increased <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-climate-bureaucrats-are-dooming-the-continent-to-a-very-dark-winter">as much as twentyfold</a> in some member states. In accordance with the European Green Deal and the Paris Climate Agreement, nations in the bloc abide by the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/climate-strategies-targets/2050-long-term-strategy_en">official goal</a> of becoming “a climate-neutral society” by 2050. As power prices continue to rise, manufacturers across Europe have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-companies-pause-production-as-energy-prices-soar">paused operations</a> through the winter, while some nations are considering implementing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/french-president-unveils-massive-green-power-development-proposal-as-energy-crisis-continues">energy quotas</a> and other regulations for power consumption.

Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs Interview

Economist Makes Waves After Arguing The Biden Admin Destroyed The Nord Stream Pipeline

Columbia Economist Argues The United States Destroyed Nord Stream Pipeline

The U.S. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-navy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Navy</a> recently tested technology and completed training exercises near the portion of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nord-stream-pipeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nord Stream</a> pipeline system that saw damage on Monday.
The pipelines, which carry <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">natural gas</a> under the Baltic Sea from <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> to <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/germany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Germany</a>, have been the center of geopolitical strife since the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ukraine-russia-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invasion of Ukraine</a>. Russia severed shipments through Nord Stream 1 a month ago, while Germany blocked the adjacent Nord Stream 2 from beginning shipments immediately before the invasion. Sweden and Denmark <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">reported</a> two leaks in Nord Stream 1 and one leak in Nord Stream 2 on Monday, while the system’s operator confirmed that the destruction was “unprecedented.”
In June, the U.S. Navy <a href="https://sfn.nato.int/newsroom/news-archive/2022/baltops-22-a-perfect-opportunity-for-research-and-testing-new-technology" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joined</a> other NATO members for BALTOPS 22, a series of maritime exercises in the Baltic Sea near the Danish island of Bornholm — the location of the Nord Stream pipeline leaks. Among other initiatives, scientists from five nations tested unmanned underwater mine hunting technology.
&#8220;BALTOPS, with the high degree of complexity, tested our collective readiness and adaptability, while also highlighting the strength of our Alliance and resolve in providing a maritime domain with freedom of navigation for all,&#8221; Vice Admiral Gene Black said in a <a href="https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/News-Stories/Article/3066830/baltops-22-the-premier-baltic-sea-maritime-exercise-concludes-in-kiel/">statement</a>.
While some European officials suspect Russia may have destroyed its own pipelines to increase gas prices, others have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tucker-carlson-fuels-suspicion-u-s-behind-nord-stream-sabotage">blamed</a> the United States for the damage, which is causing natural gas to spew toward the surface. Disabling the pipelines would remove the possibility of Germany nixing sanctions against Russia in time to import energy for the winter.
Radoslaw Sikorski, a Polish member of European Parliament, commented on social media that the United States was responsible for the destruction — a claim that earned him <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/poland-slams-politician-who-suggested-u-s-blew-up-pipelines-what-an-act-of-gross-irresponsibility">rebukes</a> from Polish Secretary of State Stanislaw Zaryn. “There’s no shortage of pipeline capacity for taking gas from Russia to Western Europe, including Germany,” Sikorski had claimed, adding that the “only logic” behind the pipeline system “was for Putin to be able to blackmail or wage war on Eastern Europe with impunity.”
Meanwhile, footage of President Joe Biden threatening to oppose the Nord Stream 2 pipeline days before the beginning of the war <a href="https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1574685985115607040?s=20&amp;t=exDoFSWQyGXDG_Cpl8TgOQ">resurfaced</a> on social media. The commander-in-chief had initially <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-sanctions-russian-owned-company-behind-nord-stream-2-pipeline">waived</a> sanctions against the Russian-owned company behind Nord Stream 2, although he reimposed sanctions shortly before the conflict began.
“If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2,” Biden said. “We will bring an end to it.”
After a reporter pressed him, Biden responded: “I promise you — we will be able to do it.”
When asked about the possibility of Russian sabotage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters “no option can be ruled out” at the moment. “This is a very concerning news. Indeed, we are talking about some damage of an unclear nature to the pipeline in Denmark’s economic zone,” Peskov said. “This is an issue related to the energy security of the entire continent.”
A <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/cia-warned-berlin-about-possible-attacks-gas-pipelines-summer-spiegel-2022-09-27/">report</a> from German news outlet Spiegel noted that the CIA had cautioned Germany about possible attacks on the pipelines weeks ago. Berlin is presently assuming the destruction emerged from intentional attacks.

SWEDEN-US-NATO-DEFENCE-MILITARY

U.S. Navy, NATO Recently Tested Underwater Technology Near Location Nord Stream Pipelines Were Damaged

American Military, Allies Tested Tech Near Location Nord Stream Pipelines Were Damaged

U.S. Navy

Fox News host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tucker-carlson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tucker Carlson</a> joined a suspicious internet chorus Tuesday in pointing the finger at the U.S. for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines</a> as a deep-sea, international mystery widened.
The two Russian-owned pipelines were damaged on the floor of the Baltic Sea Monday, and have been spewing natural gas up to the surface since. The pipelines were built to send natural gas from Russia to Europe and contained gas but were not operational. European experts agree that the damage was almost certainly intentionally inflicted and not due to seismic activity.
“This was an act of industrial terrorism,” the Fox News Channel star said Tuesday night, before pointing the finger at the Biden administration.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Tucker Carlson Discusses Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage, Almost Certainly a U.S. Covert Action Against Russia<a href="https://t.co/U5iOFF4O2j">https://t.co/U5iOFF4O2j</a>
&mdash; TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheLastRefuge2/status/1574960176939106304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Even though the pipelines had not been pumping due to sanctions imposed by the West after Russia invaded Ukraine, German protesters had been calling for the energy flow to resume. Disabling the pipelines would likely remove the possibility of Germany lifting the sanctions in time to import energy for the winter.
Russia shut off the 760-mile Nord Stream 1 pipeline during the war, while Germany blocked the parallel Nord Stream 2 from going online just before the invasion. Germany relied upon Russian natural gas for more than half of its gas imports before the invasion, and its economy has been severely crippled since the cutoff.
Some suspect Russia may have been behind the destruction of its own pipeline, possibly to raise gas prices, exert pressure on Ukraine’s western allies, or even to frame the U.S.
&#8220;Gas leak from NS-1 [Nord Stream 1] is nothing more than a terrorist attack planned by Russia and an act of aggression towards the EU. Russia wants to destabilize the economic situation in Europe and cause pre-winter panic,&#8221; Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak tweeted Tuesday.
German government spokesman Roderich Kiesewetter tweeted Tuesday night that Moscow was likely behind the undersea caper.
&#8220;It is likely that Russia is trying in this way, on the one hand, to stir up uncertainty among the European population and, on the other hand, to once again point out at the state level the possibility of an attack on critical infrastructure,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Such an act of sabotage would also fit with Russia&#8217;s state-terrorism and hybrid approach.&#8221;
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that sabotaging the Nord Stream pipelines served &#8220;no one&#8217;s interest.&#8221; The White House National Security Council said the U.S. would not &#8220;speculate on the cause.&#8221;
Fueling suspicion of U.S. involvement is a <a href="https://twitter.com/Partisangirl/status/1574685985115607040?s=20&amp;t=exDoFSWQyGXDG_Cpl8TgOQ">resurfaced video clip</a> of a cryptic threat President Joe Biden made on February 7, as it became clear that Russia was preparing to invade Ukraine.
&#8220;If Russia invades, that means tanks or troops crossing the border of Ukraine again, there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2,&#8221; Biden said. &#8220;We will bring an end to it.&#8221;
When a reporter asked how that would happen given that the pipeline was a German project, a resolute Biden replied, &#8220;I promise you: We will be able to do it.&#8221;
The statement from Biden came a week after Under Secretary for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland made a similar vow.
&#8220;If Russia invades Ukraine, one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward,” Nuland said on January 27.
On Tuesday, Polish member of European Parliament Radoslaw Sikorski seemed to blame – or credit – the U.S. for the apparent attack.
“Thank you, USA,” he tweeted, along with a picture that showed methane bubbling up from the ruptured pipelines to the Baltic Sea surface. Polish officials later rebuked Sikorsi for the “irresponsible” statement.
Carlson warned that destruction of Russian infrastructure by the U.S. would be a dangerous escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has pitted Moscow against the West.
“If we actually blew up the Nord Stream pipelines, why wouldn’t Russia sever undersea internet cables?” Carlson wondered, noting that such a move could wreck the western banking system. “Have the people behind this, the geniuses like Toria Nuland, considered the effects? Maybe they have. Maybe that was the point.”

Fox News Host Tucker Carlson Appears At National Review Ideas Summit

Tucker Carlson Fuels Suspicion U.S. Behind Nord Stream Sabotage

Tucker Carlson Fuels To Suspicion U.S. Behind Nord Stream Sabotage

Biden Administration

Tucker Carlson

Vladimir Putin

A top Polish official slammed a Polish member of European Parliament on Tuesday for suggesting the United States was behind damage to two Russian gas pipelines to Germany this week.
Radoslaw Sikorski, a member of European Parliament and chairman of the Delegation for relations with the United States, wrote on Twitter, “Thank you, USA,” along with a picture that showed methane coming to the surface from one of the spots where the pipeline ruptured.
“By the way, there’s no shortage of pipeline capacity for taking gas from Russia to Western Europe, including Germany,” Sikorski claimed on Twitter. “Nordstream’s only logic was for Putin to be able to blackmail or wage war on Eastern Europe with impunity.”
“All Ukrainian and Baltic sea states have opposed Nordstream’s construction for 20 years,” he continued. “Now $20 billion of scrap metal lies at the bottom of the sea, another cost to Russia of its criminal decision to invade Ukraine. Someone, @MFA_Russia , did a special maintenance operation.”
Russia instantly capitalized on the statement from Sikorksi, who is married to American leftist writer Anne Applebaum, asking on social media if his statement was &#8220;an official statement on this being a terrorist attack.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
💬 Russian MFA Spokeswoman Maria <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Zakharova?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Zakharova</a>: ex Polish FM, now European MP <a href="https://twitter.com/radeksikorski?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@radeksikorski</a> has thanked the US for today&#39;s incident at the Russian gas pipeline (Nord Stream 2).
Is it an official statement on this being a terrorist attack? <a href="https://t.co/QnGc10kNCq">https://t.co/QnGc10kNCq</a>
&mdash; MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) <a href="https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1574854894049234948?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Sikorksi&#8217;s remarks were quickly condemned by Stanislaw Zaryn, Poland&#8217;s secretary of state and former director of the Department of National Security.
&#8220;Russian #propaganda instantly launched a smear campaign against Poland, the US and Ukraine, accusing the West of aggression against #NS1 and #NS2,&#8221; Zaryn tweeted. &#8220;Authenticating the Russian lies at this particular moment jeopardizes the security of Poland. What an act of gross irresponsibility!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Russian <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/propaganda?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#propaganda</a> instantly launched a smear campaign against Poland, the US and Ukraine, accusing the West of aggression against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS1?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NS1</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NS2?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NS2</a>.
Authenticating the Russian lies at this particular moment jeopardizes the security of Poland. What an act of gross irresponsibility! <a href="https://t.co/S9YJKRCv9B">pic.twitter.com/S9YJKRCv9B</a>
&mdash; Stanisław Żaryn (@StZaryn) <a href="https://twitter.com/StZaryn/status/1574831526273060884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Nord Stream AG, the Russian company behind the pipelines, released a statement on the incident, calling it “unprecedented.”
“The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented,” the company <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">said</a> in a statement. “It is not yet possible to estimate the timing of the restoration of the gas transport infrastructure.”
A <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/cia-warned-berlin-about-possible-attacks-gas-pipelines-summer-spiegel-2022-09-27/">report</a> from German news outlet Spiegel said that the CIA had cautioned Germany about possible attacks on Baltic Sea gas pipelines weeks ago. Berlin is presently assuming it was a targeted attack on the Nord Stream system, unnamed sources said.
Germany, the continent’s largest economy, relied upon Russian natural gas for 55% of its imports before the beginning of the conflict. The producer price index for industrial products in Germany has risen 45.8% year-over-year as of August 2022, according to <a href="https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Economy/Prices/Producer-Price-Index-For-Industrial-Products/_node.html">data</a> from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, which followed increases of 37.2% in July 2022 and 32.7% in June 2022.
Several manufacturers have therefore <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-companies-pause-production-as-energy-prices-soar">paused operations</a> in response to high energy prices and a likely drop in consumer demand. Industrial production in the eurozone has fallen 2.3%, according to <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/14698159/4-14092022-AP-EN.pdf/653e3e30-294b-4af7-4db4-8bab2cadc782?t=1663065884252">data</a> from the European Union.
Ben Zeisloft contributed to this report. 
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">Nord Stream Pipelines See ‘Unprecedented’ Damage After CIA Warned German Government Of Sabotage</a>

Nord Stream 2 And Eugal Gas Pipelines Construction Continues

Poland Slams Politician Who Suggested U.S. Blew Up Pipelines: ‘What An Act Of Gross Irresponsibility!’

Poland Slams Politician Who Suggested U.S. Blew Up Pipelines: 'What An Act Of Gross Irresponsibility!'

Poland

A Polish politician, who is married to American leftist writer Anne Applebaum, ignited a firestorm on social media this week by suggesting that the United States was behind the damage to Russia&#8217;s Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea this week.
The tweet from Radoslaw Sikorski came after explosions were reported where the pipelines are located in the Baltic Sea, which was followed by a sharp decrease in the conduits’ pressure.
&#8220;Thank you, USA,&#8221; Sikorski, a member of European Parliament and chairman of the Delegation for relations with the United States, declared on Twitter.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Thank you, USA. <a href="https://t.co/nALlYQ1Crb">pic.twitter.com/nALlYQ1Crb</a>
&mdash; Radek Sikorski MEP (@radeksikorski) <a href="https://twitter.com/radeksikorski/status/1574800653724966915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;[By the way], there&#8217;s no shortage of pipeline capacity for taking gas from Russia to Western Europe, including Germany,&#8221; Sikorski claimed on Twitter. &#8220;Nordstream&#8217;s only logic was for Putin to be able to blackmail or wage war on Eastern Europe with impunity.&#8221;
&#8220;All Ukrainian and Baltic sea states have opposed Nordstream&#8217;s construction for 20 years,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Now $20 billion of scrap metal lies at the bottom of the sea, another cost to Russia of its criminal decision to invade Ukraine. Someone, @MFA_Russia , did a special maintenance operation.&#8221;
Nord Stream AG, the Russian company behind the pipelines, released a statement on the incident, calling it &#8220;unprecedented.&#8221;
“The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented,” the company <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">said</a> in a statement. “It is not yet possible to estimate the timing of the restoration of the gas transport infrastructure.”
A <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/cia-warned-berlin-about-possible-attacks-gas-pipelines-summer-spiegel-2022-09-27/">report</a> from German news outlet Spiegel said that the CIA had cautioned Germany about possible attacks on Baltic Sea gas pipelines weeks ago. Berlin is presently assuming it was a targeted attack on the Nord Stream system, unnamed sources said.
Germany, the continent’s largest economy, relied upon Russian natural gas for 55% of its imports before the beginning of the conflict. The producer price index for industrial products in Germany has risen 45.8% year-over-year as of August 2022, according to <a href="https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Economy/Prices/Producer-Price-Index-For-Industrial-Products/_node.html">data</a> from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, which followed increases of 37.2% in July 2022 and 32.7% in June 2022.
Several manufacturers have therefore <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-companies-pause-production-as-energy-prices-soar">paused operations</a> in response to high energy prices and a likely drop in consumer demand. Industrial production in the eurozone has fallen 2.3%, according to <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/14698159/4-14092022-AP-EN.pdf/653e3e30-294b-4af7-4db4-8bab2cadc782?t=1663065884252">data</a> from the European Union.
Ben Zeisloft contributed to this report. 
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nord-stream-pipelines-see-unprecedented-damage-after-cia-warned-german-government-of-sabotage">Nord Stream Pipelines See ‘Unprecedented’ Damage After CIA Warned German Government Of Sabotage</a>

Polish Politician Stuns With Tweet Suggesting Who Was Behind Destroying Russia’s Pipelines

Polish Politician Stuns With Tweet Suggesting Who Was Behind Destroying Russia's Pipelines

Three lines in the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/nord-stream-pipeline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nord Stream</a> natural <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gas</a> pipeline system saw “unprecedented” damage on Monday weeks after the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/cia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Central Intelligence Agency</a> warned <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/germany" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Germany</a> of possible attacks.
<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> severed natural gas flow through Nord Stream 1 earlier this month, citing mechanical issues as energy prices soared as much as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-climate-bureaucrats-are-dooming-the-continent-to-a-very-dark-winter">twentyfold</a> in some European Union member states. The Swedish Maritime Authority reported two leaks in Nord Stream 1 on Monday shortly after a leak on the nearby Nord Stream 2 was found, according to a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/nord-stream-operator-says-three-offshore-gas-pipelines-damaged-one-day-2022-09-27/">report</a> from Reuters. Operators are unsure when the pipeline, which started carrying natural gas from Russia to Germany in 2011, will be repaired.
&#8220;The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented,” Nord Stream AG said in a statement. “It is not yet possible to estimate the timing of the restoration of the gas transport infrastructure.”
Denmark limited shipping within a radius of five nautical miles after the damage was discovered. Before Russia nixed the flow of natural gas one month ago, Nord Stream 1 had only been operating at 20% capacity, which Moscow pinned on faulty equipment.
As natural gas poured into the Baltic Sea and the possibility of an explosion mounted, according to a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/sep/27/nord-stream-1-2-pipelines-leak-baltic-sabotage-fears">report</a> from The Guardian, some European leaders began blaming Russia.
“Today we faced an act of sabotage,” Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said. “We don’t know all the details of what happened but we see clearly that it’s an act of sabotage, related to the next step of escalation of the situation in Ukraine.”
When asked about the possibility of sabotage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters “no option can be ruled out” at the moment.
&#8220;This is a very concerning news. Indeed, we are talking about some damage of an unclear nature to the pipeline in Denmark&#8217;s economic zone,&#8221; Peskov said. &#8220;This is an issue related to the energy security of the entire continent.&#8221;
A <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/cia-warned-berlin-about-possible-attacks-gas-pipelines-summer-spiegel-2022-09-27/">report</a> from German news outlet Spiegel said that the CIA had cautioned Germany about possible attacks on Baltic Sea gas pipelines weeks ago. Berlin is presently assuming it was a targeted attack on the Nord Stream system, unnamed sources said.
President Joe Biden had initially <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-sanctions-russian-owned-company-behind-nord-stream-2-pipeline">waived</a> sanctions against the Russian-owned company behind Nord Stream 2, although he reimposed sanctions shortly before the Ukraine invasion began.
“These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine,” the commander-in-chief remarked in a statement. “As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate.”
Germany, the continent’s largest economy, relied upon Russian natural gas for 55% of its imports before the beginning of the conflict. The producer price index for industrial products in Germany has risen 45.8% year-over-year as of August 2022, according to <a href="https://www.destatis.de/EN/Themes/Economy/Prices/Producer-Price-Index-For-Industrial-Products/_node.html">data</a> from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany, which followed increases of 37.2% in July 2022 and 32.7% in June 2022.
Several manufacturers have therefore <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/european-companies-pause-production-as-energy-prices-soar">paused operations</a> in response to high energy prices and a likely drop in consumer demand. Industrial production in the eurozone has fallen 2.3%, according to <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/14698159/4-14092022-AP-EN.pdf/653e3e30-294b-4af7-4db4-8bab2cadc782?t=1663065884252">data</a> from the European Union.

renewable energy, tubes and pipes for oil and gas pipeline

Nord Stream Pipelines See ‘Unprecedented’ Damage After CIA Warned German Government Of Sabotage

Nord Stream Pipeline See Massive Damage

&#8220;It’s a pity it began after the beginning of this war, but we have it,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said when asked by Fox News’ Trey Yingst about his conversations with President Joe Biden and support received from the United States.
“You spoke this week with President Biden. How would you describe your conversations with the U.S. leader? Do you believe the Americans waited too long to give Ukraine the support you need to push back this Russian offensive?” Yingst <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-3-3-2022">asked</a>.
“We have good contact. I can tell you the truth,&#8221; Zelensky responded. &#8220;It’s a pity it began after the beginning of this war, but we have it. My appreciation to him and to his team. We can speak now often.”
During Tuesday’s <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/state-of-the-union-2022/">State of the Union</a> address, Biden presented the United States as entirely supportive of Ukraine and responsible for the unity of European nations and NATO in the face of Russian aggression.
“Six days ago, Russia’s Vladimir Putin sought to shake the very foundations of the free world, thinking he could make it bend to his menacing ways. But he badly miscalculated. He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead, he met with a wall of strength he never anticipated or imagined. He met the Ukrainian people,” Biden said. “From President Zelensky to every Ukrainian, their fearlessness, their courage, their determination literally inspires the world. Groups of citizens blocking tanks with their bodies. Everyone from students to retirees, to teachers turned soldiers defending their homeland. And in this struggle — President Zelensky said in his speech to the European Parliament, ‘Light will win over darkness.’”
“We are ready. We are united. And that’s what we did: We stayed united,” Biden continued later. “We prepared extensively and carefully. We spent months building coalitions of other freedom-loving nations in Europe and the Americas to — from America to the Asian and African continents to confront Putin. Like many of you, I spent countless hours unifying our European Allies.”
Biden’s claims of being responsible for the unification of Russian opposition, however, ignores that much of the response occurred after the invasion began, and was led by European nations or groups, with the United States following from behind.
For example, after initially <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-sanctions-russian-owned-company-behind-nord-stream-2-pipeline">waiving</a> sanctions against the Russian-owned company behind the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline, Biden only imposed sanctions once Germany had already agreed.
“Since Russia began deploying troops to the Ukrainian border, the United States has worked closely with our Allies and partners to deliver a strong, unified response. As I said when I met with Chancellor Scholz earlier this month, Germany has been a leader in that effort, and we have closely coordinated our efforts to stop the Nord Stream 2 pipeline if Russia further invaded Ukraine,” Biden said in a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/02/23/statement-by-president-biden-on-nord-stream-2/">statement</a>.
“Yesterday, after further close consultations between our two governments, Germany announced that it would halt certification of the pipeline. Today, I have directed my administration to impose sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG and its corporate officers. These steps are another piece of our initial tranche of sanctions in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine. As I have made clear, we will not hesitate to take further steps if Russia continues to escalate,” the statement continued. 
Ian Haworth is a writer for The Daily Wire and contributor to Morning Wire. Follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/ighaworth">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ighaworth">Facebook</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/IanGHaworth">YouTube</a>.
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Zelensky

Zelensky Says It’s A ‘Pity’ U.S. Support Began After Russia Invaded Ukraine

Joe Biden

Volodymyr Zelensky

California Democrat Rep. Eric Swalwell, one of the many lawmakers who slammed Republicans such as former President Donald Trump for cozying up to Russia, was bankrolled with donations from a high-level lobbyist for a major Russian pipeline.
The congressmen raked in $2,900 last year <a href="https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/?data_type=processed&amp;committee_id=C00502294&amp;contributor_name=roberti%2C+vincent">from</a> Vincent Roberti Sr., who chairs the group Roberti Global. In 2018, Roberti donated $5,400 to Swalwell&#8217;s campaign, as <a href="https://freebeacon.com/democrats/swalwell-cozied-up-to-lobbyist-for-putins-pipeline-while-accusing-gop-of-enabling-russia/">reported</a> by The Washington Free Beacon. The lobbying group was <a href="https://lda.senate.gov/filings/public/filing/search/?registrant=roberti&amp;registrant_country=&amp;registrant_ppb_country=&amp;client=nord+stream&amp;client_state=&amp;client_country=&amp;client_ppb_country=&amp;lobbyist=&amp;lobbyist_covered_position=&amp;lobbyist_conviction_disclosure=&amp;lobbyist_conviction_date_range_from=&amp;lobbyist_conviction_date_range_to=&amp;report_period=&amp;report_year=&amp;report_dt_posted_from=&amp;report_dt_posted_to=&amp;report_amount_reported_min=&amp;report_amount_reported_max=&amp;report_filing_uuid=&amp;report_issue_area_description=&amp;affiliated_organization=&amp;affiliated_organization_country=&amp;foreign_entity=&amp;foreign_entity_country=&amp;foreign_entity_ppb_country=&amp;foreign_entity_ownership_percentage_min=&amp;foreign_entity_ownership_percentage_max=&amp;search=search#js_searchFormTitle">sent</a> $2.4 million last year from Nord Stream 2 AG, which is behind the Russian pipeline President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-nord-stream-2-sanctions-announcement/">announced</a> sanctions against after the country invaded Ukraine.
Still, while taking money from Roberti, Swalwell criticized Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz — who has been vocal about his disagreement with Biden waiving sanctions on the pipeline last May.
Cruz tweeted in December 2021 that &#8220;History will remember that as Ukraine faced invasion from Russia, Joe Biden used every last trick in the book to exempt sanctions on Putin&#8217;s Nord Stream 2 pipeline,&#8221; to <a href="https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell/status/1468291039609999362">which</a> Swalwell responded, &#8220;On Russia, history will remember Pro-Putin enablers like you.&#8221; Similarly, the California Democrat said last week that &#8220;Ted Cruz’s weakness, recklessness, and surrender have emboldened Trump to keep attacking his wife,&#8221; after the Republican said Biden has &#8220;emboldened Putin to put Europe on the verge of war.&#8221;
Swalwell&#8217;s office did not immediately respond to The Daily Wire&#8217;s request for comment.
Joining Democrats in the impeachment hunt following the 2016 presidential election, Swalwell continuously claimed Trump colluded with Russia to get in office. &#8220;President Trump has also surrounded himself with people who do business with and are sympathetic to Russia,&#8221; the congressmen <a href="https://swalwell.house.gov/issues/russia-trump-his-administration-s-ties">said</a> on an issues page titled &#8220;Russia: Trump &amp; His Team&#8217;s Ties&#8221; still viewable on his website.
&#8220;Not only does his past and current team have ties to Russia, but the President himself also does,&#8221; the page states. &#8220;He has traveled to Russia extensively, done business there often, and has ties to Russian interests. . . Why is America’s leader and his team so close to Russia? This is either due to poor judgement or a deeper personal, financial, or political link between President Trump and Russia. It is not normal for the leader of our country to be so extensively tied to a foreign government that has sought to undermine democracies across the globe, and connections like these should be concerning to American citizens everywhere. &#8221;
Roberti has donated to other top Democrats, including last year to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), The Free Beacon notes. Roberti also funneled money to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Swalwell was roundly <a href="https://twitter.com/RepSwalwell/status/1496684825251569666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1496684825251569666%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheuscourier.org%2Feric-swalwell-was-ridiculed-for-suggesting-the-gop-was-rooting-for-putin-when-putin-invaded-crimea-latest-news%2F">criticized</a> on social media this week after claiming Republicans &#8220;are rooting for the Russians&#8221; amid the country&#8217;s Ukrainian invasion.
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The guy who swiped right with a Chinese spy makes it clear that he only cares about the Ukrainian people as much as he can use them as human props to offer up dumb political attacks on Republicans. What an unserious, impressive joke this guy is. <a href="https://t.co/FXrl1BTkOB">https://t.co/FXrl1BTkOB</a>
&mdash; Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonrantz/status/1496807234566721537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Swalwell, who has accused Republicans of enabling Russia, took maximum campaign donations from a top lobbyist for Nord Stream 2 AG, the company behind an oil transportation project dubbed &quot;Putin’s pipeline&quot;: <a href="https://t.co/cCKqXRbNHe">https://t.co/cCKqXRbNHe</a> <a href="https://t.co/s8FghvDkxm">https://t.co/s8FghvDkxm</a>
&mdash; Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealSaavedra/status/1496718918009847808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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This is just so deeply embarrassing and unserious, Eric. I can&#39;t think of a time when a party deserved power in Washington less than you guys do now.
&mdash; Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattdizwhitlock/status/1496687473488969734?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Fundamentally moronic and deeply unserious. <a href="https://t.co/PUeEu3uofQ">https://t.co/PUeEu3uofQ</a>
&mdash; Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href="https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1496713706906005515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Your gov’t invaded Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, &amp; Syria and you declare that a just-launched, unclear Russian operation in Ukraine is “the largest invasion on our planet since WW2.” If I were Republican, I’d be rooting for you to speak more in public <a href="https://t.co/JVZQyPBWhi">https://t.co/JVZQyPBWhi</a>
&mdash; Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) <a href="https://twitter.com/aaronjmate/status/1496698302615756804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Is it just me or is this account getting lazier? I mean I understand the grifter mentality. Just say crowd pleasing things regardless of truth and reap the clout. But shouldn’t it be at least in the neighborhood of accurate? <a href="https://t.co/HX7ZxYNJoG">https://t.co/HX7ZxYNJoG</a>
&mdash; John Noonan (@noonanjo) <a href="https://twitter.com/noonanjo/status/1496883661429485569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Putin Pipeline

Democrat Took Donations From ‘Putin Pipeline’ Lobbyist While Alleging GOP Ties To Russia

Eric Swalwell

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