German-led investigators examining the 2022 attack on Nord Stream gas pipelines are suggesting Poland may have served as a base for the operation, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The research points to a yacht, the Andromeda, that sailed into Polish waters before the sabotage, and had been traced via its radio and navigation equipment, satellite and mobile phones, and Gmail accounts.
Key Points:
- The Nord Stream pipeline, a major conduit for gas from Russia to Germany, was sabotaged in 2022, a few months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- The vessel purportedly used in the attack, the Andromeda, made an unusual detour into Polish waters, raising suspicions among German-led investigators about Poland’s potential involvement.
- Investigative tools included tracking the Andromeda’s radio and navigation systems, as well as satellite and mobile phones, and Gmail accounts.
- Earlier reports suggested Western intelligence agencies had foreknowledge of a Ukraine-backed plan to sabotage the pipelines, a claim Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly denied.
- The explosive used in the sabotage, identified as HMX, is typically used for disrupting subsea infrastructure.
