Moscow, August 22, 2024, The Europe Today: Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has sharply criticized Czech President Petr Pavel’s recent comments regarding the Nord Stream gas pipeline sabotage, likening his statements to those of international terrorists.
Pavel suggested that the September 2022 attack on the pipelines, which disrupted the flow of Russian gas to Germany and Western Europe, could be considered a “legitimate target” for Ukraine if it aimed to sever energy supplies and financial support to Russia. These remarks were made in response to a Wall Street Journal article that claimed Ukraine was responsible for the sabotage.
Zakharova, responding via Telegram, condemned Pavel’s comments as extreme, stating, “Previously, such ‘ideas’ were only voiced by representatives of banned international terrorist cells.” She compared Pavel’s remarks to the rhetoric used by leaders of groups like Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda.
The controversy follows claims in the Wall Street Journal that Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky initially approved the Nord Stream attack but attempted to halt the operation under pressure from the CIA. Despite this, Ukraine’s then-commander-in-chief, Valery Zaluzhny, allegedly allowed the sabotage to proceed.
While Kiev has denied any involvement in the attack, asserting that Russia was responsible for damaging its own infrastructure, Moscow has dismissed these allegations as “ridiculous.” The publication of the Wall Street Journal article coincided with Germany issuing its first arrest warrant related to the Nord Stream blasts, identifying a suspect believed to be a Ukrainian diving instructor.
The diplomatic dispute highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the Nord Stream incident and the broader geopolitical conflict between Russia, Ukraine, and Western nations.
