Nord Stream 2 Putin’s Pipeline of Aggression?

Nord Stream 2 Putin’s Pipeline of Aggression?

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org – Home – Stephen Lendman)

US dark forces are hellbent to undermine Russia politically, economically, technologically and militarily — a failed agenda that continues relentlessly anyway on multiple fronts.

Press agent media propaganda is one of many tactics used.

According to Defense News, “Putin’s (Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Germany and Europe) threatens the West (sic),” adding:

It’s not “a purely economic project (sic). (It’s a) horrendous deal for Europe (sic).”

If completed, it’ll “pose an intelligence threat to the West (by) allow(ing) the Kremlin to deploy surveillance devices (sic).”

According to an unnamed former US official, the pipeline “would permit new technologies to be placed along the pipeline route, and that is a threat (sic).”

“Russia may…deploy its naval forces along the pipelines’ routes on a national security pretext, leaving much of the Baltic Sea unnavigable, including for LNG carriers, cargo ships, the navies of the countries surrounding this body of water and NATO maritime forces (sic).” 

“In such a scenario, the potential for escalation is clear (sic).”

All of the above is reinvention of reality rubbish by US dark forces.

No Russian security threat exists to the US, Europe or elsewhere.

What going on is all about wanting Russian interests undermined along with maximizing exports of expensive US LNG by minimizing the supply of low-cost Russian natural gas to Germany and other European countries.

Russian natural gas is around 30% cheaper than US liquified natural gas (LNG), why Germany and other European countries highly value it.

Dominant US Russophobes want completion of the pipeline blocked.

According to Nord Stream 2 AG, the project’s operator, the pipeline is 95% completed — as of April 1.

“About 121 km (5%) of the total length of the pipeline is yet to be laid.”

Russian vessel Fortuna involved in completing its construction was joined by the Akademik Cherskiy pipe-laying vessel on March 31.

According to Russia’s Institute of National Energy director Sergey Pravosudov in late March: 

The US “continue(s) to make performative announcements.” 

“Maybe (the Biden regime and/or Congress) will impose (more) performative sanctions, but (Russia) will finish building the pipeline anyway.” 

“This is inevitable.”

Russian National Energy Security Fund director Konstantin Simonov said the following:

“The US cannot block the accounts of Nord Stream 2 AG.” It cannot block completion of the project.

It practically exhausted its tactics to block it.

“The only decisions left are the ones that are on the verge of a complete collapse of relations not even with us, but with Germany and a number of other European countries.” 

“For example, if the United States demands a refusal from purchasing Russian gas.” 

“This requirement is feasible only if Europeans in the literal sense of the words will begin to freeze and remain without electricity.” 

“This is no exaggeration. It is simply physically impossible to close the (European) energy balance today without Russian gas.” 

Energy Sector Research Division deputy head at the Institute for Natural Monopolies Research (IPEM) Evgeny Rudakov said the following:

“Until recently, arguments about the need for Nord Stream 2 for the stability of supplies from Russia to Europe were countered by the talk about the surplus of existing gas transmission capacities.” 

“Last winter showed that the Nord Stream 2 is necessary for Europe not only in the longterm, but even in the short term.” 

Pipelaying continues “in full swing,” Tass reported.

Fitch director Dmitry Marinchenko said the US can only “complicate and slow down” completion of the pipeline, not halt its construction, adding:

As long as Berlin wants it completed and becoming operational, it’s highly unlikely that the US will be able to block it.

Univer Capital’s managing director Aretem Lyutik shares this view, saying:

“The construction of Nord Stream 2 is practically completed, and even in the case of new measures, the Russian side will still be able to freely finish laying pipes and launch the gas pipeline.”

On April 1, Nord Stream 2 AG’s branch director Andrey Minin explained the following:

After the resumption of Nord Stream 2’s construction in January 2021, “there has been an increase in activity of military ships, planes, and helicopters, as well as civilian ships of foreign countries, whose actions are often provocative in nature.”

As a last resort, do they intend damaging or blowing up the pipeline?

“We are talking about clearly planned and prepared provocations, both with the use of fishing vessels and warships, submarines and aircraft in order to obstruct the economic project,” Minin added: 

“This is perhaps the first and unprecedented case of its kind in history.”

In late March, US installed NATO secretary general Stoltenberg said there’s no consensus among alliance members on the pipeline.

Economic powerhouse Germany very much wants the project completed.

Stoltenberg admitted that the alliances faces no Sino/Russian military threat.

Indeed not. Beijing and Moscow prioritize peace, stability, cooperative relations with other nations and observance of international law — polar opposite how the US and its imperial partners operate.

At this time, Nord Stream 2 is on track for completion in the coming months — as long as Biden regime hardliners don’t risk WW III to block it.

A Final Comment

Weeks earlier, Putin said Washington’s aim to block Nord Stream 2’s completion is economic.

“They are securing a market for their products, exclusively in their own selfish interests, and at the expense of European consumers,” he stressed.

Germany believes the same thing, saying the US “want(s) to sell us their fracking gas.”

VISIT MY WEBSITE: stephenlendman.org (Home – Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My two Wall Street books are timely reading:

“How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion, and Class War”

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“Banker Occupation: Waging Financial War on Humanity”

https://www.claritypress.com/product/banker-occupation-waging-financial-war-on-humanity/