Blinken Says Initial Reports Indicate Nord Stream Pipelines Sabotaged, But Cannot Confirm

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States cannot confirm reports about whether Russia's Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines were sabotaged, but such an attack would be in no one's interest, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.

"The leaks are under investigation," Blinken said during a press conference. "There are initial reports indicating that this may be the result of an attack or some kind of sabotage, but these are initial reports and we haven't confirmed that yet. But if it is confirmed, that's clearly in no one's interest."

On Monday, both the Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines reported a sharp pressure drop. Later, operators said there was considerable destruction of the pipeline, while the Swedish National Seismic Network (SNSN) registered powerful underwater explosions in the area of gas leaks.

The causes and the scale of the incident remain unclear.