WASHINGTON (Reuters) – New intelligence reviewed by U.S. officials suggests that a pro-Ukrainian group carried out the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines last year, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.
There was no evidence that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy or his top lieutenants were involved in the operation, or that the perpetrators were acting at the direction of any Ukrainian government officials, the newspaper reported, citing U.S. officials.
Reuters could not independently verify the report, and U.S. officials could not be immediately reached for comment. Representatives for Kyiv and Moscow also could not be immediately reached.
The United States and NATO have called the September 2022 attacks on the gas pipelines “an act of sabotage,” while Moscow has blamed the West and has called on the United Nations Security Council to independently investigate. Neither side has provided evidence.
The intelligence review suggests the who carried out the attacks opposed Russian President Vladimir Putin “but does not specify the members of the group, or who directed or paid for the operation,” the Times wrote. “U.S. officials declined to disclose the nature of the intelligence, how it was obtained or any details of the strength of the evidence it contains. They have said that there are no firm conclusions about it.”
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh and Susan Heavey in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio)
