NUNZIUM

The Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions in September have raised concerns about energy security, as the search for the perpetrators behind the attack on the undersea pipelines carrying natural gas from Russia to Europe continues. The incident resulted in a massive release of methane gas and reduced Europe's energy dependence on Russia, increasing US influence.

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh alleges US Navy divers planted bombs that destroyed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in September, citing an unnamed source. However, the Pentagon, White House spokesperson Adrienne Watson, and CIA spokesperson Tammy Thorp have all denied these claims. Swedish officials suspected "gross sabotage," and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the situation "serious." Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says Moscow believes the US and NATO were involved in the explosions. However, an investigation involving 23 diplomatic and intelligence officials in nine countries found no evidence that Russia was behind the attack.

The attribution of the attack remains challenging, as the damage occurred in the exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto has highlighted the attack's demonstration of the vulnerability of energy networks. Russia remains a key suspect due to its recent history of bombing civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. However, skeptics argue Moscow had little to gain from damaging pipelines that generated billions in annual revenue.

New information has surfaced, such as unidentified aerial drones appearing around Norwegian oil and gas facilities around the time of the Nord Stream attacks. The New York Times cites anonymous US intelligence officials suggesting a pro-Ukrainian group could be responsible. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov calls the report a "co-ordinated fake news media campaign." German investigators searched a ship in January suspected of transporting explosives, and German media links a boat used in the attack to a Polish firm owned by two Ukrainians.

The Nord Stream pipeline explosions have intensified the energy crisis in Europe and strained the relationship between Russia and the West. As the world awaits the results of the ongoing investigations, the need for increased security and cooperation in protecting critical energy infrastructure has never been more crucial. The truth behind the Nord Stream pipeline explosions remains elusive, casting a shadow of uncertainty over global energy security.