- Media report: Selensky reportedly knew of plans to attack North Stream
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Knew of Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage Plans, Says Wall Street Journal
According to a report by the "Wall Street Journal" (WSJ), citing multiple unnamed sources within the military apparatus, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was aware of the sabotage plans against the Nord Stream pipelines.
"I always laugh when I read media speculation about a massive operation involving intelligence agencies, submarines, drones, and satellites," said a Ukrainian officer who claimed to have been involved in the plot. "It all started from a drunken night and the iron determination of a handful of people who had the courage to risk their lives for their country."
However, the Ukrainian government denied involvement in the sabotage against Nord Stream. It is very likely that Russia is responsible for the September 2022 attack, said Mykhailo Podoliak, an advisor to President Zelensky, to Reuters news agency.
Wall Street Journal Investigations Reveal Sabotage Plans by Ukrainian Officials
According to the WSJ report, the idea to blow up the gas pipelines - a strike against Russian President Vladimir Putin - was discussed at a meeting of Ukrainian military and business figures just a few months after the start of the large-scale Russian invasion in 2022. A few months later, three explosions on the underwater pipes caused massive damage. According to the WSJ report, six people were directly involved in the operation, which cost around $300,000. The plan was reportedly funded by private money.
Zelensky Tried to Stop the Attack
Before the attack, Ukrainian President Zelensky also approved the plans, but later the CIA reportedly got wind of the plans and warned Zelensky not to carry out such a strike. Zelensky then ordered the then Chief of General Staff Valery Saluschnyy to stop the action, according to several Ukrainian officers and officials who spoke to the newspaper. However, the general ignored the order; his team instead adjusted the original plan. The mission was reportedly led by former intelligence officer Roman Cherwynsky, who reported directly to Saluschnyy. Cherwynsky himself did not respond to the allegations. Saluschnyy stated that he knew nothing about such an operation. The investigations by RTL/ntv partly match those of the WSJ.
General Saluschnyy Ignored Order
After the September 2022 attack, Zelensky reportedly confronted his Chief of General Staff. However, Saluschnyy supposedly shrugged off the criticism. The general told Zelensky that once the sabotage team was deployed, they could no longer communicate because any contact with them would endanger the operation.
"It's like a torpedo - once you've fired it at the enemy, you can't recall it, it just keeps running until it 'booms'," a high-ranking officer told the WSJ about the conversation between the president and his highest military official.
There are no written evidence of the operation, according to the report. Everything was only discussed orally among Ukrainian officials for security reasons.
This article was first published on ntv.de
- Despite the denial from the Ukrainian government, the Wall Street Journal's investigation suggests that high-ranking Ukrainian officials, including President Zelensky, were involved in discussing plans to sabotage the Nord Stream pipelines.
- The European Union, as a major consumer of natural gas from the Nord Stream pipelines, could potentially be affected by any disruptions to the supply caused by these sabotage attempts, making the EU an indirect party of interest in this ongoing investigation.
