For Mykhailo Podoliak, Volodymyr Zelensky's advisor, it is a “absolute nonsense”. The Ukrainian presidency reacted on Thursday, August 15, to the accusation of Ukraine by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) in the 2022 sabotage of the Russian Nord Stream gas pipelines crossing the Baltic Sea. “These actions had no practical benefit for Ukraine”the presidential adviser told Agence France-Presse. “Such an act can only be carried out with significant technical and financial resources… and who had all of this at the time of the attack? Only Russia.”Mr. Podoliak said in a written response to the agency Reuters.
According to the WSJthe sabotage of the Russian Nord Stream gas pipelines on September 26, 2022 in the Baltic Sea was validated at the highest level in kyiv, including initially by the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky.
According to the American newspaper, which relies in particular on Ukrainian military sources, the bombing in the depths of the Baltic Sea was carried out under the supervision of the then commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, Valery Zaluzhny, despite a change of heart by Volodymyr Zelensky, who had called for the project to be stopped.
The news comes a day after revelations that Germany’s judicial investigation into the sabotage is shifting its focus to Ukraine, with an arrest warrant recently issued for a professional diver from that country. The idea of the sabotage emerged in May 2022 at a meeting of Ukrainian officers, senior military officers and business leaders, three months after Russia invaded Ukraine, the US newspaper wrote.
According to the WSJa total of six people were directly involved in this operation at a cost of approximately $300,000, all financed by private money. “Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had initially approved the plan, according to an officer involved in it and three who had knowledge of it.”says the American newspaper. “But then, when the CIA got wind of it and asked to stop him, he ordered it to be stopped.”he continues.
“No knowledge of the operation”
However, Valery Zaluzhny, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army at the time, ignored this order and his team changed the initial plan, the newspaper added. Contacted by the WSJMr Zaluzhny, who has since been appointed Ukraine's ambassador to London, said in a written exchange that he had no knowledge of such an operation and called it “provocation” any assertion to the contrary.
After the sabotage of Russian gas pipelines in September 2022, Mr Zelensky demanded explanations from Mr Zaluzhny, according to the WSJciting three people familiar with the exchange.
The latter replied that it was too late, stating that it was no longer possible to communicate with the sabotage team because any contact could have endangered the operation. “It has been said [à M. Zelensky]it's like a torpedo, once you throw it at the enemy, you can't get it back, it keeps going until it goes boom”describes a high-ranking officer, informed of this conversation, quoted by the WSJ.
The German media, which revealed the recent progress of the judicial investigation, are much more cautious about the involvement of the high Ukrainian authorities and tend on the contrary to exonerate President Zelensky at least. The weekly The Mirror On the other hand, it suggests a possible involvement of Mr. Zaloujny.
Source: Lemonde
