<\/p>\n
But it remained far from clear who might be behind the leaks that were first reported on Monday or any foul play, if proved, on the Nord Stream pipelines that Russia and European partners spent billions of dollars building.<\/p>\n
German Economy Minister Robert Habeck told business leaders the leaks were due to targeted attacks on the infrastructure and Berlin now knew for sure \u201cthat they were not caused by natural occurrences or events or material fatigue\u201d.<\/p>\n
Sweden\u2019s and Denmark\u2019s prime ministers said the leaks were clearly caused by deliberate actions, with information suggesting sabotage, while Poland\u2019s premier blamed sabotage, without citing evidence.<\/p>\n
Russia, which slashed gas deliveries to Europe after the West imposed sanctions over Moscow\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, also said sabotage was a possibility and that the leaks undermined the continent\u2019s energy security.<\/p>\n
A senior Ukrainian official called the incident a Russian attack to destabilise Europe, without giving proof.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see clearly that it\u2019s an act of sabotage, related to the next step of escalation of the situation in Ukraine,\u201d Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at the opening of a new pipeline between Norway and Poland.<\/p>\n
Sweden\u2019s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told a news conference that two blasts had been detected in relation to the leaks and though that did not represent an attack on Sweden, her government was in close contact with partners such as Nato and neighbours such as Denmark and Germany concerning the developments.<\/p>\n
Seismologists in Denmark and Sweden said they had registered two powerful blasts on Monday in the vicinity of the leaks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe signals do not resemble signals from earthquakes. They do resemble the signals typically recorded from blasts,\u201d the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (Geus) said.<\/p>\n
And seismologists at Sweden\u2019s Uppsala University, which co-operates with Geus, said the second, bigger explosion \u201ccorresponded to more than 100 kilos of dynamite\u201d, adding the blasts were in the water not under the seabed.<\/p>\n
The Nord Stream pipelines have been flashpoints in an escalating energy war between capitals in Europe and Moscow that has damaged major Western economies, sent gas prices soaring and sparked a hunt for alternative supplies.<\/p>\n
\u201cGermany is a country that knows how to defend itself. And Europe is a continent that can protect its energy infrastructure,\u201d Germany\u2019s Habeck said, adding the energy supply of Europe\u2019s largest economy was not affected.<\/p>\n
Denmark\u2019s armed forces said the largest gas leak had caused a surface disturbance of well over 1km (0.6 mile) in diameter.<\/p>\n
The leaks were large and it could take perhaps a week for gas to stop draining out of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the head of Denmark\u2019s Energy Agency Kristoffer Bottzauw said.<\/p>\n
Ships could lose buoyancy if they entered the area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sea surface is full of methane, which means there is an increased risk of explosions in the area,\u201d Bottzauw said.<\/p>\n
The Swedish Maritime Administration (SMA) said two leaks on Nord Stream 1, one in the Swedish economic zone and another in the Danish zone, were north-east of Denmark\u2019s Bornholm.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are keeping extra watch to make sure no ship comes too close to the site,\u201d an SMA spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called it \u201cvery concerning news. Indeed, we are talking about some damage of an unclear nature to the pipeline in Denmark\u2019s economic zone.\u201d He said it affected the continent\u2019s energy security.<\/p>\n
Neither pipeline was pumping gas to Europe at the time the leaks were found, but the incidents will scupper any remaining expectations that Europe could receive fuel via Nord Stream 1 before winter.<\/p>\n
Operator Nord Stream said the damage was \u201cunprecedented\u201d.<\/p>\n
Gazprom (GAZP.MM), the Kremlin-controlled company with a monopoly on Russian gas exports by pipeline, declined to comment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are some indications that it is deliberate damage,\u201d said a European security source, adding it was too early to draw conclusions. \u201cYou have to ask: Who would profit?\u201d<\/p>\n
Norway, meanwhile, would strengthen security at its oil and gas installations in the wake of leaks and reports of drone activities in the North Sea, Energy Minister Terje Aasland said.<\/p>\n
Authorities in Denmark asked that the level of preparedness in its power and gas sector be raised, a step that would require heightened safety for power installations and facilities.<\/p>\n
CUTTING SUPPLIES<\/p>\n
Russia reduced gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 before suspending flows altogether in August, blaming Western sanctions for causing technical difficulties. European politicians say that was a pretext to stop supplying gas.<\/p>\n
The new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had yet to enter commercial operations. The plan to use it to supply gas was scrapped by Germany days before Russia sent troops into Ukraine, in what Moscow calls a \u201cspecial military operation,\u201d in February.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe multiple undersea leaks mean neither pipeline will likely deliver any gas to the EU over the coming winter, irrespective of political developments in the Ukraine war,\u201d Eurasia Group wrote in a note.<\/p>\n
European gas prices rose on the news, with the benchmark October Dutch price climbing almost 10% on Tuesday. Prices are below this year\u2019s peaks but remain more than 200% higher than in early September 2021.<\/p>\n