WaPo Claims Ukraine Behind Destruction of Nord Stream Pipelines

The Washington Post claims that a "Ukrainian military officer coordinated Nord Stream pipeline attack." The officer in question is "Roman Chervinsky, a decorated 48-year-old colonel who served in Ukraine’s special operations forces". 

    Chervinsky did not act alone, and he did not plan the operation, according to the people familiar with his role, which has not been previously reported. The officer took orders from more senior Ukrainian officials, who ultimately reported to Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s highest-ranking military officer, said people familiar with how the operation was carried out. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details about the bombing, which has strained diplomatic relations with Ukraine and drawn objections from U.S. officials.

    Ukraine has launched many daring and secretive operations against Russian forces. But the Nord Stream attack targeted civilian infrastructure built to provide energy to millions of people in Europe. While Gazprom, the Russian state-owned gas conglomerate, owns 51 percent of Nord Stream, Western energy companies, including from Germany, France and the Netherlands, are partners and invested billions in the project. Ukraine had long complained that Nord Stream would allow Russia to bypass Ukrainian pipes, depriving Kyiv of huge transit revenue.

Flashback: "Israel considering pipeline to Turkey to increase gas exports"--i24News (8/29/2023). 

    A Turkey-Israel gas pipeline is once again on the table: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has instructed an inter-ministerial team to examine alternatives to Israel's current gas exports. 

    One of the options being considered is the construction of a underwater pipeline from Turkey to Israel's largest offshore natural gas field, Leviathan. Under the plan, gas will be directed to Turkey and subsequently to southern European nations aiming to decrease their reliance on the Russian pipeline.

    The proposed pipeline aims to link the key Turkish-European pipeline with the abundant gas reserves in Israel and neighboring areas such as Egypt and the UAE. The initiative seeks to establish a viable alternative gas supply for Europe, as the region looks to reduce its dependence on Russian gas.

    The order to establish the team was given in a meeting attended by the Prime Minister together with Energy Minister Israel Katz, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and Israel's National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi. It comes amid a push by the companies owning the reservoir to increase its gas exports.