New intelligence suggests that a pro-Ukrainian group may have carried out the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines last year, according to US officials. This revelation marks a significant step towards determining responsibility for the sabotage that has confounded investigators on both sides of the Atlantic for months.
There is no evidence that President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine or his top lieutenants were involved in the operation or that the perpetrators were acting at the direction of any Ukrainian government officials. The Ukrainian government and military intelligence officials deny any role in the attack and do not know who carried it out.
Some officials believe that Ukraine and its allies have the most logical potential motive to attack the pipelines because they have opposed the project for years, calling it a national security threat because it would allow Russia to sell gas more easily to Europe. However, US officials say that there is much they do not know about the perpetrators and their affiliations. The review of newly collected intelligence suggests that the attackers were opponents of President Putin but does not specify the members of the group or who directed or paid for the operation.
Initial US and European speculation centered on possible Russian culpability, especially given its prowess in undersea operations. However, US officials say they have not found any evidence of involvement by the Russian government in the attack. It remains unclear what motivation the Kremlin would have in sabotaging the pipelines, given that they have been an important source of revenue and a means for Moscow to exert influence over Europe.
The cost of repairing the pipelines is estimated to start at around $500 million, which is a significant amount. US officials declined to disclose the nature of the intelligence, how it was obtained, or any details about the strength of the evidence it contains.