Moscow criticizes Poland's stance on the Nord Stream explosions and warns of their repercussions on its security
Moscow, Aug 21 (KUNA) -- The Russian presidency (the Kremlin) expressed surprise at Poland’s stance opposing the prosecution of those responsible for the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines, describing the explosions as a “terrorist sabotage act” targeting the European Union. The Russian news agency RIA Novosti quoted the Kremlin as saying that investments in the Nord Stream project aimed to ensure Europe’s future energy security, and that Poland’s refusal to prosecute those behind the blasts was “astonishing and surprising.” The Kremlin added that, from Moscow’s perspective, the pipeline explosions constituted a sabotage operation directed against the European Union, at a time when the circumstances of the attack and those responsible remain under investigation amid political and legal disputes.
For its part, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Warsaw’s position on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline explosions could backfire on Poland’s security in the future, considering that the Polish prime minister’s call to halt the prosecution of those responsible for the attack represented a direct challenge to Germany. The ministry warned that Warsaw’s stance could have repercussions for Poland’s future security.
The Nord Stream pipelines, which run across the Baltic Sea and were used to transport Russian gas to Germany, were damaged by explosions in September 2022, causing significant damage and halting operations. The blasts triggered wide-ranging political and security repercussions across Europe, with investigations launched in several countries to identify those responsible, amid repeated Russian denials of any involvement.
Russia’s latest criticism of Warsaw comes against the backdrop of escalating tensions between Poland and Germany over the judicial proceedings in the Nord Stream case, particularly after German authorities announced the arrest of a Ukrainian suspect in Croatia under a European arrest warrant on suspicion of involvement in the explosions. This followed earlier actions by Polish authorities, who had detained the same suspect before a Polish court refused to extradite him to Germany and ordered his release.
The development coincided with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s announcement that he would not pursue the prosecution of suspects in the pipeline explosions, arguing that those who built the Nord Stream pipelines should “feel ashamed,” rather than those who disrupted them. This stance reflects Poland’s continued reservations about the project, which Warsaw opposed as it increased Europe’s dependence on Russian gas.
Germany views the case as directly linked to its national security and interests, with its judicial authorities continuing to investigate suspects they allege participated in the sabotage. The legal responsibility for the September 2022 explosions in the Baltic Sea has not yet been definitively established.
This divergence between Poland’s political position and Germany’s judicial actions has prompted Moscow to intensify its criticism of Warsaw. Russia argues that Poland’s refusal to prosecute those involved in the sabotage of European energy infrastructure contradicts the need to uncover the circumstances of the attack and hold those responsible accountable. Moscow also considers the Polish stance to raise questions about how European countries handle energy security issues and their implications. (End) D.A.N./M.A.A.
