United Nations Has No Added Details on Nord Stream Explosions, Security Council Hears, as Members Underscore Need to Protect Critical Infrastructure
Nineteen months on, the United Nations is not in a position to verify claims or reports made regarding attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, two senior officials told the Security Council today, as many delegates — while condemning attacks against civilian infrastructure and calling for accountability — cautioned that any politicization or speculation on this case is detrimental to revealing the truth.
Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, underscored that the UN has no additional details beyond publicly available information about the destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022 and is not in a position to verify or confirm claims or reports made regarding the incident.
According to investigations conducted by Danish, German and Swedish authorities, leaks in the pipelines were caused by the use of explosives. In February, Danish and Swedish authorities informed the Council about the closure of their respective investigations. While stating that any intentional damage to critical civilian infrastructure should be condemned and investigated, he urged all actors to exercise restraint and await the conclusion of the remaining investigation.
He added: “We strongly encourage Member States to continue cooperation and sharing of information to ensure the security of all international waters — including the Baltic Sea, which is critical for regional commerce, security and stability.”
In the same vein, Oguljeren Niyazberdiyeva, Chief of the Office of the Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, stressed that her Office — “not vested with the mandate to investigate or assess the conduct of States or other actors” — has no additional details regarding the events in question, and is not able to verify claims or reports made regarding the incident.
Meanwhile, Larry C. Johnson, political commentator and expert in the field of counter-terrorism, stated: “It is not only the responsibility, but the sacred duty, of the Security Council to take the lead in bringing about a settlement of the Nord Stream matter by peaceful means.” Urging a properly funded, professional investigation into the Nord Stream bombing, he said: “I can say this much with certainty about that operation — it was carried out with the financial and material support of at least one nation State.”
In the ensuing discussion, numerous Council members condemned all acts of sabotage targeting critical infrastructure, noting their corrosive consequences on the economy, the environment and navigation. While many also expressed support for Berlin’s ongoing investigation into the incident, several expressed scepticism.
“It is as if a crime was committed — a murder — and a year later, the investigative authorities concluded that the victim was murdered,” stated the representative of the Russian Federation. Moreover, throughout the investigation, some Western States argued that it was premature to qualify the Nord Stream explosion as a terrorist act. This demonstrates that they have “absolutely no interest in finding out who is responsible for the attack,” he asserted.
Similarly, China’s delegate pointed out that the Swedish and Danish investigations have established no truth regarding this severe incident that undermined transnational energy infrastructure, with only scant information offered. “One can’t help but suspect a hidden agenda behind the opposition to an international investigation,” he added.
However, the representative of the United States — stressing that the Russian Federation’s claims are “as hollow as they are disingenuous” — said that Moscow expresses concern over the sabotage of critical infrastructure while wreaking havoc against such facilities in Ukraine. The United Kingdom’s representative, similarly, called on the Russian Federation to “translate its professed concern for protecting critical infrastructure into action” by immediately ceasing such attacks and ending its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.
Adding to that, the speaker for France recalled that Moscow’s recent strikes have destroyed or damaged seven thermal power plants, three combined heat and power plants, two hydroelectric plants and 17 power transformers. “It is clear that Russia is attempting to divert this Council’s attention and the attention of the international community,” he stressed.
For his part, Slovenia’s delegate underscored that critical civilian infrastructure must be protected, regardless of whether it is a hospital in Gaza, a power plant in Ukraine or pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Condemning the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, he spotlighted recent incidents targeting underwater infrastructure — including the cutting of submarine communication cables in the Red Sea in March and the damage done to the “Balticconnector” gas pipeline in October 2023.
The Council must have facts to fulfil its responsibility, said the representative of Japan, expressing hope that Germany’s investigation will be completed as soon as possible. Mozambique’s delegate, meanwhile, noted that Danish and Swedish investigations found insufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case. However, “impunity should not be an option for such a blatant breach of international law,” he emphasized, stating: “Finding answers for who was behind this grave act of sabotage is paramount.”
THREATS TO INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY
Briefings
MIROSLAV JENČA, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, said that the destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022 has sparked widespread speculation that risks further fuelling tensions among Member States. Noting that his briefing is based “solely on information that is publicly available”, he underscored that the UN has no additional details regarding the events and is not in a position to verify or confirm claims or reports made regarding the incident. He added that the full extent of its environmental impact, including on marine and local wildlife, is yet to be grasped.
After leaks in the pipelines were reported, the Danish, German and Swedish authorities announced the launch of separate national investigations, he recalled, pointing to their 10 July 2023 joint letter to the Council President (document S/2023/517) indicating that the leaks were caused by the use of explosives. However, the Russian Federation expressed concern over these national investigations and called for “comprehensive and objective proceedings”. In February 2024, the Danish and Swedish authorities informed the Council about the closure of their respective investigations. In March 2024, Moscow reiterated its concerns, calling for an international commission to investigate the Nord Stream incidents further.
While stating that any intentional damage to critical civilian infrastructure should be condemned and investigated, he urged all actors to exercise restraint and wait for the conclusion of the remaining investigation. He added: “We strongly encourage Member States to continue cooperation and sharing of information to ensure the security of all international waters — including the Baltic Sea, which is critical for regional commerce, security and stability.”
OGULJEREN NIYAZBERDIYEVA, Chief of the Office of the Under-Secretary-General, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, said that the territorial defeat of Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh), the reduced presence of Al-Qaida and the decline in terrorism-related fatalities over the last decade “stand as testaments” to the international community’s collective counter‑terrorism efforts. The Security Council’s unwavering leadership in these endeavors has been crucial, she stressed, noting that the Office — established in 2017 — assists Member States in implementing the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and its successive review resolutions.
The Office, however, is “not vested with the mandate to investigate or assess the conduct of States or other actors”, she said, noting that the United Nations Secretariat does not have any additional details of the events in question, and is not able to verify claims or reports made regarding the incident. The Office remains committed to reinvigorating multilateralism and supporting Member States to build a world free from terrorism, guided by the Charter of the United Nations and international law, she added.
LARRY C. JOHNSON, political commentator and expert in the field of counter‑terrorism, expressed support for the Russian Federation’s wish to have the Council conduct an open and comprehensive investigation into the September 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines. “It is not only the responsibility, but the sacred duty, of the Security Council to take the lead in bringing about a settlement of the Nord Stream matter by peaceful means,” he said, adding that he would not review the mountain of evidence that implicates the United States in this act of war against the Russian Federation and Germany.
The destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines has inflicted significant economic pain on the people of Germany, he said, emphasizing that it also did not help end the conflict between the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Ukraine’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) facilitators. Rather, it made matters worse. “It has been 19 months since the pipeline was destroyed, and the NATO countries appear to have adopted the posture of the three wise monkeys – see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil,” he said, adding that a properly funded, professional investigation would uncover documents, informants and eyewitnesses that could prove beyond a reasonable doubt who carried out the Nord Stream bombing.
“I can say this much with certainty about that operation — it was carried out with the financial and material support of at least one nation State,” he said, stressing that the refusal to conduct a thorough investigation casts a cloud over the Council.
Statements
The representative of the Russian Federation said that the destruction of the Nord Stream gas pipelines — condemned by all Council members — constitutes a direct threat to international peace and security. The use of explosive devices to target pipelines at the bottom of the sea — valued at $17 billion — resulted in both critical damage to Nord Stream and severe environmental and navigational consequences. On national investigations conducted by Germany, Denmark and Sweden, he said that — given their refusal to cooperate with Moscow — “we were sceptical”. Instead of supporting Moscow’s initiative to establish an independent international commission to investigate the incident under UN auspices, Western Council members disseminated empty letters. Despite recognizing that the pipelines were deliberately destroyed with explosives, they insisted that there were no grounds for continuing investigations.
“It is as if a crime was committed — a murder — and a year later, the investigative authorities concluded that the victim was murdered,” he stated. Moreover, he observed that, throughout the investigation, some Western States argued that it was premature to qualify the Nord Stream explosion as a terrorist act. This demonstrates that they have “absolutely no interest in finding out who is responsible for the attack” and “resist all efforts to find the guilty party”, he said. He also pointed out that, before the crime was committed, Western politicians called for its commission. Western countries will claim that there is no added value in conducting an international investigation, hoping that the international community will forget about it. However, he asserted: “The international community won’t forget, and we certainly won’t forget.” The Russian Federation will continue to use every means at its disposal to rectify the situation, he said, calling on States to support those efforts.
The representative of Mozambique, welcoming the reports by Denmark and Sweden, noted that, while they indicated that deliberate sabotage occurred, they found insufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case. “Impunity should not be an option for such a blatant breach of international law,” he emphasized, warning that it would embolden perpetrators and weaken the foundation of international cooperation. The protection of civilian infrastructure is one of the foundational pillars of international law, he said, asserting: “Finding answers for who was behind this grave act of sabotage is of paramount importance.”
The representative of Algeria said that three gas pipelines connect his country and Europe to supply energy, also noting an intention to construct a trans-Saharan gas pipeline between his country and Nigeria. He expressed support for both Germany’s ongoing investigation and “any future international effort” — particularly under UN auspices — that could shed light on the attacks. Underlining the need to determine facts and protect cross-border, interdependent energy infrastructure, he pointed out that the strategic importance of these facilities exposes them to growing threats, which, in turn, raises new security concerns. Therefore, strengthening regional and international cooperation is critical, he stressed.
The representative of Guyana condemned the attacks and commended the proactive response by neighbouring Baltic States to investigate the incident. Welcoming that they have kept the UN apprised of progress in their respective investigations, she noted that the probe was discontinued. She said that her country looks forward to receiving the findings of Germany’s ongoing investigation, expressing hope that the perpetrators of this illegal act will soon be found and held accountable.
The representative of Slovenia stressed that critical civilian infrastructure must be protected, regardless of whether it is a hospital in Gaza, a power plant in Ukraine or pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Expressing concern over recent damage done to underwater infrastructure — including the cutting of submarine communication cables in the Red Sea in March and the damage done to the “Balticconnector” gas pipeline in October 2023 — he condemned the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in September 2022 and expressed particular concern over its environmental impact. He also noted the conclusion of the Danish and Swedish investigations and welcomed their transparency. “We trust Germany and its investigators to continue investing all efforts into a comprehensive and impartial investigation,” he added.
The representative of Japan said that actions jeopardizing crucial infrastructure present a substantial risk, reiterating concern over the Nord Stream incident and its long-term damage to the marine environment. It is the Council’s responsibility to address issues of international peace and security, and to fulfil those duties, it must have facts. On that, she noted the conclusion of the Danish and Swedish investigations. “We should not go for speculation without any objective information,” she added, expressing hope that Germany’s investigation will be completed as soon as possible.
The representative of France, noting that there have been no developments since the last consultation held on 14 March, wondered about the Russian Federation’s zeal on this file. “Russia has continued systematically to target Ukrainian infrastructure, inflicting terrible damage,” he said, recalling that recent Russian Federation strikes have destroyed or damaged seven thermal power plants, three combined heat and power plants, two hydroelectric plants and 17 power transformers. “It is clear that Russia is attempting to divert this Council’s attention and the attention of the international community,” he stressed.
The representative of the Republic of Korea, opposing any sabotage or indiscriminate attacks against critical infrastructure that could disrupt energy supply chains, stressed that perpetrators of such acts must be held accountable. In this regard, he supported national investigations by Denmark, Sweden and Germany. Noting that “any politicization or speculation on this case is detrimental to revealing the truth”, he voiced concern over accusations made in the absence of concrete evidence.
The representative of the United States said that today’s meeting is not about accountability. The Russian Federation has repeatedly called meetings on this topic to spread disinformation and discredit ongoing national investigations, which should be allowed to complete their work. Moscow’s claims of its noble intentions to pursue justice and protect critical infrastructure are “as hollow as they are disingenuous”, he stressed, pointing out that the Kremlin expresses concern over the sabotage of critical infrastructure while wreaking havoc against such facilities in Ukraine. Further, while the Russian Federation seems interested in fact-finding missions and independent investigations, it routinely denies access to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) for investigations in the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine. It also vetoes the mandate renewals of independent UN investigation mechanisms, such as that of the Panel of Experts on sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, he noted.
The representative of China expressed regret that it has been more than 18 months with no conclusion reached. The explosion of the Nord Stream pipelines was a serious incident that undermined transnational energy infrastructure, he said, recalling that China and others have called for an objective, impartial and professional investigation to find out the truth as soon as possible and bring the perpetrators to justice. Regarding the Swedish and Danish investigations, he noted that no truth has been established, with only scant information offered. “One can’t help but suspect a hidden agenda behind the opposition to an international investigation,” he added.
The representative of Ecuador, noting that the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosion resulted from deliberate sabotage, stated: “A call for maximum caution is not enough.” There is no justification for attacks against essential civilian infrastructure, he stressed, adding that this incident threatened Europe’s economic and energy security, compromised the security of maritime and air navigation, and posed a severe environmental threat. He expressed hope that Germany’s investigation of the incident will come to a prompt conclusion.
The representative of Sierra Leone condemned infrastructure sabotage and noted the conclusion of the Danish and Swedish investigations, which did not assign responsibility. Expressing concern over escalating attacks on critical infrastructure globally, she urged restraint, compliance with international law and an independent, impartial and transparent investigation. “We call for a swift conclusion of the ongoing national investigations relating to the Nord Stream gas pipeline in a manner that will further build trust,” she added.
The representative of Switzerland expressed concern over the alleged acts of sabotage against the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022, which led to considerable gas leaks. Condemning all acts of sabotage targeting critical infrastructure, she observed: “Such acts can have corrosive consequences on the supply of gas to the population, on the economy and the environment.” She also welcomed the regular provision of information on the investigations carried out by Denmark, Sweden and Germany, adding that her country awaits the conclusion of the latter investigation.
The representative of the United Kingdom said that the best way to establish what happened is for Council members to support Germany’s ongoing national investigation. “We do not believe that it is a good use of our time for the Security Council to try to prejudge the outcome of this ongoing investigation, dictate how the investigation is conducted or seek to politicize the issue,” he said. The Russian Federation has consistently called Council meetings on this topic and vocally condemned attacks on critical national infrastructure, but that country is simultaneously, deliberately and systematically targeting Ukraine’s energy system and attacking its critical infrastructure, he said. Moscow must “translate its professed concern for protecting critical infrastructure into action” by immediately ceasing such attacks and ending its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, he stressed.
The representative of Malta, Council President for April, spoke in his national capacity to insist that, given the absence of new relevant information, there is no need for another Council meeting on this topic. Germany’s national investigation is still ongoing, and time is needed to process all the information handed over by Swedish and Danish authorities. For its part, the Council should refrain from any action to impose timelines, undermine national proceedings or prejudge their results. To that end, “introducing further investigations at this time could be counterproductive,” he said, stressing that any Council initiative must be rooted in full respect for the ongoing national investigation so as not to risk delegitimizing it.
The representative of the Russian Federation, taking the floor a second time, said that the narrative promoted by Western countries today is unsurprising. Observing that many of their statements linked the conflict in Ukraine to the Nord Stream explosion, he said that this linkage “helps us to get a better understanding of what happened with Nord Stream”.
The representative of the United Kingdom countered that his delegation did not link the Nord Stream attack with the conflict in Ukraine. Instead, he merely pointed out that it is hypocritical of Moscow to spend so much time drawing the Council’s attention to one act of sabotage on national infrastructure while it is deliberately and systematically attacking Ukraine’s.
The representative of the Russian Federation reiterated — for the sake of consistency — that Nord Stream is international infrastructure, and the International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings applies.