Nord Stream Incident

Explosion of underwater pipeline thought to be Russian tactic

The Nord Stream pipeline running across the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany has been a major point of contention since war began in Ukraine in February of this year. Earlier this week, it became a proxy battlefield, when an explosion and subsequent leak were reported near Denmark. Instinctive reactions deemed the Russian side to be responsible for the incident, with investigations ongoing.

Given the difficult nature of obtaining reliable war figures from either side during this conflict, many believe Russia to be responsible for "sabotaging" the Nord Stream—which reportedly has leaks in both its pipelines.

Officials detected significant drops in pressure in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline on Monday, and then detected another pressure drop on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which were ultimately determined to come from three separate leaks. Swedish seismologists have said underwater explosions caused these leaks. The Danish military released footage of gas from the pipeline bubbling to the surface of the Baltic Sea.

The pipeline has served as a point of emphasis for Russia for the duration of the war thus far; also as a major concern for most of Europe due to its high propensity for controlling the continent's supply of natural gas.