Mysterious explosions, methane leaks and giant bubbles of gas in the Baltic Sea — the alleged sabotage of two European pipelines has fuelled anxiety about attacks on infrastructure and a new stage of hybrid war.
Four leaks were detected in the Nord Stream pipelines linking Russia with Germany, all in international waters just off the Danish island of Bornholm in the middle of the Baltic Sea.
Neither pipeline was in operation as supplies in Nord Stream 1 were halted this month by Russia and Nord Stream 2 never came into operation after Germany cancelled its approval process. The leaks coincided with the opening of a new pipeline between Norway, now Europe’s biggest gas supplier, and Poland.