This terrorist attack destroyed any chance of an energy-driven Russian-German rapprochement, immediately catapulted Poland into the position of being one of the continent's most pivotal energy hubs, and thus took the Anglo-American Axis' plans for dividing and ruling Europe to the next level.
A suspected act of sabotage - possibly by Russia - against gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea was likely a premeditated attack using underwater explosive devices detonated remotely, according to a British defence source.
Comment: Pre-meditated? Of course. But the 'Ruskies did it' is silly on its face. Why would Russia destroy a structure it spent nearly a decade building at great expense, when a simple valve turn would have the same effect. For that matter, why would any sane country destroy a future source of revenue? The Empire won't be forever
The source said any mines could have been lowered to the seabed on a long line, dropped over the side of a boat or placed next to the Nord Stream pipelines with an underwater drone months or even years ago.
Comment: Gee, really? Maybe around say, June of this year?
NATO's BALTOPS 22 exercise is a perfect opportunity for underwater research and testing new technology
Poland and Ukraine have accused Russia of causing the ruptures that are spewing gas into the sea - leaks that were detected on Monday.
The European Union has said sabotage was probably to blame, but it has not yet identified the culprit.
'Crisis has come to the Baltic'
Moscow has dismissed allegations it was behind the leaks as "predictably stupid and absurd". The pipelines are Russian built, carrying Russian gas to Europe.
A foreign ministry spokeswoman said Russia intends to call a United Nations Security Council meeting over the damage to the infrastructure.
Russia's embassy in Denmark said that any sabotage was an attack on both Russia's and Europe's energy security. But a Western source said they thought the Kremlin "doth protest too much".
Russia has used its energy as a weapon to punish European countries that rely on Russian oil and gas for supporting Ukraine following President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion.
Comment: Sky News hews to the party line. Russia has never used its energy supplies as a weapon. Rather, the EU has sanctioned itself into shortages, held up certifications Germany), parts repair (Canada), or just flat out refused to pay in the currency requested. The EU has no one to blame but themselves.
- US applies pressure on the EU to cancel Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline
- Following their master's orders: EU agrees to extend anti-Russian sanctions
- Putin flips sanctions, demands rubles for Russian gas from 'hostile' countries, says credibility of dollar and euro is 'destroyed'
- Hungary's Orban blames EU's Russia sanctions for energy crisis, wants them scrapped
It is a form of unconventional, "grey zone" warfare under the threshold of war, designed to put pressure on governments as their populations suffer with soaring energy costs.
Any evidence that Russia caused the damage to the pipelines would be an escalation in this hybrid form of warfare.
A European security source said it was "very serious".
'Climate disaster' in Baltic Sea
The Reuters news agency reported that armed forces, coast guards, maritime authorities, energy agencies and police from countries such as Sweden, Germany, and Denmark are all carrying out investigations into the leaks.
Comment: Notice that even though it is Russia's property that has been damaged, possibly permanently, they are excluded from investigating the site. What would they find?
Sweden's Prosecution Authority said it will review material from a police investigation into the damage to the pipelines and decide on further action.
Denmark has said it might take a week or two before the areas around the damaged pipelines were calm enough to be investigated.
The British source downplayed speculation that a Russian submarine might have planted the devices because the Baltic Sea was not particularly deep, making such an underwater mission difficult to carry out without being detected.
The defence ministry said it "constantly observes its areas of responsibility and interest, this includes protecting critical infrastructure such as underwater cables and offshore structures".
The spokesman said: "As a matter of policy, we do not offer a narrative detailing the specific capabilities of our aircraft, ships or submarines."
Comment: The U.S. has effectively pulled a 'Cortez burning his ships' maneuver. The EU is now firmly locked into the U.S. orbit, with no possibility of rapprochement with Russia. A psychopathic move if there ever was one.
Here is Blinken quietly chortling over the "opportunities" opening up to American energy companies as the EU will no long have access to Russian energy, couched in caring words, of course . . . .