NY Times Reports New Intelligence on Who Blew Up Nord Stream, Twitter Reacts

“Officials who have reviewed the intelligence said they believed the saboteurs were most likely Ukrainian or Russian nationals or some combination of the two. U.S. officials said no American or British nationals were involved,” the New York Times reports.

Seymour Hersh’s reaction to the New York Times story on who might have blown up Nord Stream is worth listening to below. The Times article points the finger at some anonymous Ukrainian group, but it’s not the government of Ukraine. It’s either a rogue Ukrainian group or Russians, the Times writes based on unknown sources.

According to the New York Times, “new intelligence reviewed by U.S. officials suggests that a pro-Ukrainian group carried out the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines last year, a step toward determining responsibility for an act of sabotage that has confounded investigators on both sides of the Atlantic for months.

Key Excerpts

“U.S. officials said that they had no evidence 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.

…

“Ukraine and its allies have been seen by some officials as having the most logical potential motive to attack the pipelines. 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…

After this article was published, Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Mr. Zelensky, posted on Twitter that Ukraine “has nothing to do with the Baltic Sea mishap.” He added that he had no information about pro-Ukrainian “sabotage groups.”

“U.S. officials said there was much they did not know about the perpetrators and their affiliations. The review of newly collected intelligence suggests they were opponents of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, but does not specify the members of the group, or who directed or paid for the operation.

The US won’t reveal the nature of the intel.

“Officials who have reviewed the intelligence said they believed the saboteurs were most likely Ukrainian or Russian nationals or some combination of the two. U.S. officials said no American or British nationals were involved.

“The explosives were most likely planted with the help of experienced divers who did not appear to be working for military or intelligence services, U.S. officials who have reviewed the new intelligence said. But it is possible that the perpetrators received specialized government training in the past.”

Officials said there were still enormous gaps in what U.S. spy agencies and their European partners knew about what transpired. But officials said it might constitute the first significant lead to emerge from several closely guarded investigations, the conclusions of which could have profound implications for the coalition supporting Ukraine.

…

“U.S. officials said the new intelligence reporting has increased their optimism that American spy agencies and their partners in Europe can find more information, which could allow them to reach a firm conclusion about the perpetrators. It is unclear how long that process will take. American officials recently discussed the intelligence with their European counterparts, who have taken the lead in investigating the attack.’ [Oh, sure]

So, Seymour Hersh reacted in disbelief, asking, “What? They can’t be that stupid.”

No one believes they are stupid, but maybe their sources think the rest of us are “that stupid.”

GERMANY WILL ‘WAIT-AND-SEE’

Germany’s defense minister Boris Pistorius is taking a wait-and-see attitude.

“We’ll have to wait and see what is actually confirmed,” Pistorius told DLF’s Barbara Schmidt-Mattern when asked about the media reports.

On Tuesday, a host of German media outlets, including Die Zeit newspaper and state broadcaster ARD, reported that a vessel believed to be linked to the Nord Stream sabotage operation allegedly belongs to a Ukrainian-owned company.

The reports also said that a Western intelligence agency is thought to have informed European “partner services” that a “Ukrainian commando” unit was behind the attack.

TWITTER USERS AREN’T BUYING IT

Twitter users aren’t buying it because it defies credulity. The article conveniently exonerates everyone except some unknown rogue terrorist group of Ukrainians who somehow have this ability and knowledge [More Ukrainian Ghosts?]. They did it without anyone knowing or being able to find out. In any case, the US is now optimistic.

The article states it’s Ukrainian terrorists or Russians blowing up their own pipeline. Okay, then.

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