Deliveries are possible through the undamaged pipeline, according to Russia’s deputy prime minister
Russia can supply gas to Europe through a strand of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that was not damaged by the latest explosions, according to Deputy Prime Minister Aleksander Novak.
The energy official described the explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines as intentional.
“Unfortunately, due to sabotage, a string [of Nord Stream 2] was damaged, and an investigation is required to make further decisions about the fate of the string,” Novak was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.
“As for the second string, it is ready, fully built, and if the necessary legal decisions are made by our European colleagues regarding certification and removal of restrictions, I believe that Russia could provide adequate supplies through this string of the gas pipeline in a short time” , he said.
The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines suddenly lost pressure on September 26, following a series of powerful underwater explosions off the Danish island of Bornholm. The incident caused massive gas leaks, with large volumes escaping into the sea. The cracks are widely believed to be the result of sabotage, carried out by an unknown party.
The deputy prime minister also said that neither the operator of the Nord Stream project, nor Gazprom, nor the industry regulator Rostekhnadzor were allowed to investigate the incidents on the pipelines, adding that an objective investigation requires the participation of Russian professionals.
Earlier this week, the operators of the two gas pipelines said they could not inspect the damaged sections due to restrictions imposed by the Danish and Swedish authorities.
Nord Stream 2 AG, the Swiss operator, said on Tuesday it will investigate the condition of the leaking pipelines once a police investigation of the “crime scene” is complete and a blockade has been lifted. Later, Nord Stream AG, operator of the older Nord Stream 1 pipeline, said it had been told by Danish authorities that it could take over 20 working days to obtain the necessary permits to carry out an inspection.
Meanwhile, unnamed sources told CNN that Washington is considering offering to use its most advanced underwater sound-reading capabilities to analyze audio recordings from around the time of the apparent sabotage of Nord Stream gas pipelines.
Russia has previously called a breach of the pipelines a terrorist attack. While those behind it have yet to be identified, Moscow has suggested the United States was to blame.
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(RT.com)
Source: sn.dk