Putin: US theoretically interested in Nord Stream blasts

MOSCOW, Mar 15 (PRIME) -- The U.S. is theoretically interested in the incidents like the bombing of the Nord Stream pipelines because they would be able to sell their liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview to Rossiya 24’s anchor Pavel Zarubin broadcast late on Tuesday.

“One should always look for the interested parties. Who is interested in that? It is obvious that the U.S. is theoretically interested in suspension of Russian energy pumping to the European market so that they supply their own energy, including the LNG even if it is more expensive, even if it is 25–30% more expensive than Russian,” Putin said.

The theory that some Ukrainian activists were involved with bombing of the pipeline is a complete nonsense. Only government-supported experts have the technologies to do that, he said.

It is difficult for Russia to investigate the incident on its own with no access to the international investigation, but it is sure that the terrorist attack was done at a government level, no amateur could have done that. Several explosive devices could have been planted, and some of them did not explode for unknown reasons, he said.

Moscow asked Denmark for permission to inspect the pipelines jointly or create an international group of experts to inspect the pipelines in a transparent way for traces of explosives or for any other explosive devices, but the country said Russia should wait.

“We received a response to our request from the Danish authorities, and they said they would have to think about that on their own, and that they will give us an answer when they think it is possible to do so,” he said.

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