A joint investigation by the Washington Post and Der Spiegel suggests that Roman Tchervinskyi, a colonel in Ukraine’s special forces, was the one who coordinated the attacks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines.
Tchervinskyi is said to have received his orders from “higher Ukrainian officials”, who in turn reported to Ukraine’s supreme military command.
According to the Washington Post and Der Spiegel, Tchervinskyi also has “deep ties to the intelligence services” and was reportedly responsible for the logistics of the group of six specialists who rented a sailboat under false identities and used deep-sea diving equipment to plant explosives on the two gas pipelines.
The investigation suggests that the attack was not Tchervinskyi’s own idea and that he was not the one who planned the operation – instead, it was done by “higher Ukrainian officials” with the approval of Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Valery Zaluzhny.
– All speculations about my involvement in the attack on Nord Stream are spread by Russian propaganda without any basis, Tchervinskyi himself says.
The colonel is currently imprisoned in Kyiv for attempting, on his own initiative and without permission, to persuade a Russian pilot to defect to the Ukrainian side.
Difficult to claim self-defense
Ilmari Käihkö, a researcher at the Swedish Defence University, calls the information that Ukraine was behind the attack “politically sensitive”.
– The sources speaking are anonymous. We don’t know who they are, and I wonder why they want to leak information to the media, he tells the tabloid Aftonbladet.
–There are major political interests. As soon as Ukraine starts operating beyond its own borders, it will raise questions. Then the war becomes internationalized, and it also becomes harder for them to say that they are only acting in self-defense, he adds.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has consistently denied any Ukrainian involvement in the attacks, claiming instead that Russia was behind the bombings. Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist, who is leading Sweden’s investigation into the bombings, declined to comment on the new information.
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A few days before the attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline in September 2022, US Navy warships were on the scene and Danish officials were ordered to stay away.
This is according to harbormaster John Anker Nielsen, who was there himself and finally decided to break the silence.
Anker Nielsen is the harbormaster of Christiansø, the easternmost part of Denmark in the Baltic Sea, northeast of Bornholm and close to where the Nord Stream pipelines were blown up.
He tells the Danish newspaper Politiken that just four or five days before the explosion, he went out with a rescue team to check nearby ships that had switched off their radio equipment – it was suspected that there had been an accident nearby.
However, when he arrived at the scene, he was met by US warships – whose personnel also ordered the rescue team to leave immediately and turn back.
The port captain was also reportedly “not allowed to say a thing“, but has decided to go public with his story anyway. He also says that the strange encounter made him believe more in award-winning journalist Seymour Hersh’s analysis of the explosions, which concluded that the US, with the help of Norway, was behind the terrorist attack.
Remember when multiple major US media outlets — as well as all the small of handful of “think tank experts” they always quote — tried to convince Americans and Europeans that it was mostly likely Putin who blew up his own Nord Stream 2 pipeline? I do. https://t.co/aT3OgP9ywF
On social media, the new testimonies have received a lot of attention, but have barely been mentioned in the mainstream media.
American Glenn Greenwald is one of the few journalists who has paid attention to the harbor master’s story and comments on X.
“Remember when multiple major US media outlets — as well as all the small of handful of ‘think tank experts’ they always quote — tried to convince Americans and Europeans that it was mostly likely Putin who blew up his own Nord Stream 2 pipeline? I do.”, he writes.
Biden’s orders?
In early February 2023, Seymour Hersh authored a report in which witnesses and whistleblowers said that US President Joe Biden had ordered the destruction of Nord Stream, and that the explosives detonated on September 26, 2022 had been placed at the pipelines by US military divers in the context of the NATO exercise Baltops 22.
The White House soon denied the allegations, calling them “utterly false and complete fiction”.
Russia was also quick to point to the US as the most likely culprit, arguing that it had both the technology and the motive to carry out the terrorist attacks – and was also the main beneficiary of the sabotage, as Russian energy supplies to the EU were disrupted, forcing a switch to more expensive US natural gas.
In a recent article, The Nordic Times outlined the theory that the UK government of Liz Truss carried out the Nord Stream attacks in September 2022.
After gaining significant traction online, reaching hundreds of thousands of readers, the story has now caught the serious attention of leading politicians and intelligence agencies.
In a presumed unspoken reference to TNT's story, the head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergei Naryshkin, states that "the jigsaw has been put together" and points to "Anglo-Saxons" as the most likely perpetrators of the attacks.
In a recent feature article, The Nordic Times outlined the hypothesis of an independent investigator known only as Mortymer, who has published extensive amounts of (publicly available) data relevant to the Nord Stream attacks of September 2022.
While not constituting hard proof, the data raises many questions about the UK’s Liz Truss government (which was in power at the time) in relation to the Nord Stream attacks. In Mortymer’s theory, the Biden administration is given a more peripheral role.
The motive, according to Mortymer, was “part of wider national policies – energy, security, geo-strategical to name a few”, he writes on his blog.
Challenging Hersh’s claims
In Tucker Carlson’s recent interview with Vladimir Putin, the latter suggested that the CIA was behind the attacks, which is in line with Seymour Hersh’s alternative but acclaimed theory that the Biden administration is ultimately responsible for the attacks. The White House has denied all allegations of US involvement, calling them “completely false”.
From the Russian point of view, Britain has long been a prime suspect. But according to Sergei Naryshkin, the head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), the “puzzle” has now been “put together”.
– Certainly, we had information, indirect signs of the ones commiting that. Although these indirect signs were revealed by perpetrators of that. Well, the jigsaw puzzle was put together. And this puzzle clearly points to perpetrators, Mr Naryshkin said in a live TV interview. “Anglo-Saxons”, he clarifies, according to Russian news agency TASS.
Gaining momentum
The first government official to comment on the article was another prominent Russian politician, Eva Panina, director of the Institute for International Strategic Studies, who highlighted the story in a post on Telegram two weeks ago (Feb 21st).
While comments from Western politicians are conspicuously absent, French entrepreneur Arnaud Bertrand is probably the most high-profile Westerner to share the story so far, significantly increasing its reach with almost 500 re-tweets of his original post.
This is actually a very plausible theory on Nordstream, which looks to me at least as strong as Seymour Hersh's.
The culprit might be Perfidious Albion after all, under Lizz Truss's "leadership"!https://t.co/j4hprqGyzJ
“It might be Perfidious Albion after all” Bertrand comments, calling the theory “very plausible” and “at least as strong as Seymour Hersh’s”.
The article has also been gaining traction around Europe, notably Italy, as well as in the American continents.
While others are more conservative in their assessment, it is clear that many are keen to get to the bottom of the largest terrorist attack on civilian infrastructure in European history.
A systematic analysis of the available evidence points to "elements of the British government" as the most likely perpetrators of the pipeline bombings.
This according to an independent Finnish data analyst and researcher who has conducted what he calls "the only public, open Nordstream investigation".
The enigmatic 'data detective' believes the attacks were most likely carried out by the Royal Navy's DTXG elite diving team, operating from the British nuclear submarine HMS Ambush (S120).
A statement made by then British PM Liz Truss at the UN five days before the attacks about "cutting off toxic energy and pipelines from authoritarian regimes" raises further questions.
Then minister Alec Shellbrooke inspects HMS Ambush (S120) at HMNB Clyde in Faslane on October 12, 2022, just over two weeks after the Nord Stream attacks. The fact that the submarine's chalfont bay is covered with a tarpaulin indicates that it may have been used recently.
While the Swedish government recently closed its investigation into the largest terrorist attacks on vital infrastructure in European history, stating that “no suspects have been identified”, an independent data analyst and researcher known as “Mortymer” has conducted what could be described as a thorough investigation into who carried out the Nord Stream attacks on September 26, 2022.
He presents a large amount of data that contradicts not only the official narrative that either Russia or Ukraine did it, but possibly also Seymour Hersh’s alternative yet highly acclaimed theory that it was the US that led the execution of the bombings together with Norway. According to the researcher, a careful examination of the accumulated evidence points to deep involvement of certain elements within the British government.
It looks like Norway provided US with intel about the UK’s mission
Relying on online data collection rather than physical evidence, Mortymer uses web crawlers to scrape, extract, and analyze virtually any information available on the Internet that is or could be relevant to the Nord Stream attacks.
The first clue: A mysterious submarine
Mortymer’s initial hypothesis was that Ukraine was behind the attacks. That however changed when he became aware of the visit of Alec Shelbrooke, then Minister of State for Defence Procurement in the Truss government, to the naval base HMNB Clyde at Gare Loch, Faslane, Scotland.
Bringing a journalist with him to the port, Shelbrooke commented on the war in Ukraine, saying, “This is our war as much as it is Ukraine’s”, and explained his views on the role of Britain and NATO in the conflict.
Shelbrooke then inspected one particular submarine, the Royal Navy’s HMS Ambush (S120), which had returned to the port a week earlier – that is one week after the Nord Stream attacks on September 26 – and met with the ship’s captain and crew.
Alec Shelbrooke meeting with the crew of the HMS Ambush at the naval base HMNB Clyde at Gare Loch, Faslane, Scotland. Photo: PA News Agency
As can be seen in the featured photo, the top of the submarine was conspicuously covered with a tarp, which according to Mortymer covers a chalfont bay, which can accommodate mini-submarines and is used by divers for exit and re-entry during deep diving missions. The fact that the bay is covered by a tarp indicates that it may have been used recently.
Mortymer also reveals that Shelbrooke was in the Royal Navy’s chain of command and at the head of the Royal Navy DTXG team, a specialized unit of the British military’s Special Boat Service (SBS).
The DTXG, which stands for Diving & Threat Exploitation Group, is an elite group of Royal Navy “clearance divers” – frogmen and underwater bomb disposal experts. The group was only created in the beginning of 2022, just months before the Nord Stream attacks, as a result of a restructuring and rebranding within the Royal Navy that replaced the long-standing Fleet Diving Squadron with the DTXG.
–This once-in-a-generation transformation has enabled the Royal Navy’s Clearance Divers to be the most agile, lethal and technically advanced they have ever been, comments Commanding officer Sean Heaton on the reorganization.
Royal Navy Diver carrying out maintenance work on the hull of HMS Prince of Wales in Hampshire on 10th February 2022. Photo: LPhot Lee Blease/Royal Navy Crown Copyright
In addition to relatively less dramatic tasks such as “carrying out emergency underwater maintenance on warships”, “dealing with historic explosives and improvised explosives around the UK”, and “clearing sea mines around the world” the group is also tasked with “delivering discreet special operations”.
– We recognise and embrace modern, innovative technology such as autonomous underwater vehicles and remotely operated vehicles (known as AUVs and ROVs) to deliver operations and enhance training, comments Carl Thomas, Chief Petty Officer of DTXG’s special operations team Alpha Squadron, who is excited that the group “continues to evolve and move with the times”.
DTXG probe was blocked by defence minister
Shortly after Shelbrooke’s visit to the port, a lot happened. He himself was fired and Liz Truss was forced to resign as British Prime Minister, making her the shortest serving Prime Minister in British history. Curiously, the head of the port was also fired. At the same time, Russia officially accused “British naval specialists” of being behind the attacks, prompting the British Parliament to launch an inquiry to question the DTXG, but the probe was soon blocked by Ben Wallace, then Secretary of State for Defence.
Alec Shelbrooke on the HMS Ambush (S120). Photo: PA News Agency
Intrigued by these striking coincidences, but wary of jumping to conclusions, Mortymer began a slow, thorough, and extensive data-gathering operation. Utilizing his data-gathering expertise, he started collecting news stories, announcements, discussions, images, videos, mentions of “Nord Stream”, “Russian gas”, and similar keywords, as well as various government policies and legal files related to the Nord Stream pipelines.
After completing this groundwork, which took about three months and, the researcher notes, was entirely legal and used only publicly available sources, he went on to analyze how the data matched statements made by government officials from what he considered to be the top 12 countries suspected of the attacks, including Russia, Ukraine, Norway, the US and the UK.
Hersh’s theory “complementary but not contradictory”
As for Seymour Hersh’s acclaimed theory that the US (together with Norway) was the perpetrator of the attacks, Mortymer’s position seems to be that while the US was aware of the plans to blow up the pipeline, it ultimately opposed them and instead actually tried to help German forces protect the pipelines from attack. In this post, Mortymer makes numerous arguments as to why Hersh’s theory often doesn’t hold up to close scrutiny. For example, he finds the idea that explosives were planted during NATO’s BALTOPS 22 exercise “very odd” because it relies on a “surface approach” rather than the “sub-surface approach” that many official investigations suggest is most likely. In another post, Mortymer writes that “Hersh’s story and data may be complementary, but not contradictory” to his own findings and conclusions.
If my conclusions are right, the US vacated the Baltic Sea and VIPs of EU, US, NATO were informed on 22/09
One notable intersection between Hersh’s and Mortymer’s theories is a joint “Maritime Post-Blast Investigation Course” that took place in late January 2022 at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, USA. During the course, Alec Shelbrooke’s DTXG worked with the FBI’s Counter-Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) Section and three US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams to “expand and develop their maritime post-blast exploitation techniques through seven days of classroom instruction, diving, and strategic case study analysis”. In other words, a course in underwater post-blast forensics.
A photo from the Maritime Post-Blast Investigation Course at NAS Key West in Florida. The person in the picture is not related to this article. Photo: Naval Sea Systems Command
The practical aspects of the course involved participants taking part in underwater post-blast event simulations, collecting evidence to be analyzed in a mobile forensics facility. The theoretical aspects of the course involved taking parts in various workshops, such as one held by Royal Navy DTXG Commanding Officer Cdr. Sean Heaton.
He explains that a forensic investigation involves not only technical aspects, but also techniques typically associated with any crime scene, such as collecting evidence, interviewing witnesses, and making logical deductions about who and what is responsible for the attacks.
The VideoRay Pro 4 Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) films during an underwater post-blast investigation course (not the one referenced in the article). Photo: facsimile/VideoRay
Truss: “We are cutting off the toxic power and pipelines”
While none of this constitutes “evidence” akin to a “smoking gun”, Mortymer seems sure that the hypothesis that the UK, or more specifically elements within the Truss government, were behind the Nord Stream attacks is the one that best fits the available data. Of note in this context are the statements made by Liz Truss to the UN General Assembly on September 21, 2022, just five days before the attacks.
– We are cutting off the toxic power and pipelines from authoritarian regimes and strengthening our energy resilience. We will ensure we cannot be coerced or harmed by the reckless actions of rogue actors abroad.
After attending a meeting with the Biden administration the day after, Truss unexpectedly went into hiding, only to re-emerge three days after the Nord Stream attacks had taken place.
On the same day, according to Mortymer, the UK became a net energy exporter for the first time in 44 years.
The truth about the #Nordstream affair is a Sword of Damocles over the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom.
Several German media are reporting today that the Swedish investigation into the Nord Stream terrorist attacks will be closed by the prosecutor because no suspects have been identified.
It was in September 2022 that the gas pipelines were blown up under mysterious circumstances. There have been many explanations, with both Russia and Ukraine identified in the media as potentially responsible for the attack.
Early last year, award-winning journalist Seymour Hersh also published a lengthy report that identified the US, with the help of Norway, as responsible for the bombings, and that the NATO exercise Baltops was used as a cover for Norwegian and American dive teams to plant the bombs off Bornholm.
However, Hersh’s report was largely met with silence, and now it appears that at least the Swedish investigation will be closed without identifying a perpetrator.
Swedish investigation chief Mats Ljungqvist recently said that a Swedish decision on prosecution would be made “within the next few days, according to Bonnier newspaper Expressen, and the Swedish Prosecution Authority (Åklagarmyndigheten) said in a press release that a “preliminary decision” would be issued tomorrow.
German investigation continues
However, German media such as Süddeutsche Zeitung, NDR, WDR and Die Zeit report that it is already clear that the Swedish investigation is closed – but that the German and Danish investigations will continue.
During the investigation, Sweden collected and analyzed parts of the exploded pipe – and it is likely that this evidence will now be included in the German investigation instead.
“The Swedish authorities can now hand over evidence and exhibits to their German colleagues. Sweden would then give up its claim to prosecution and support the German process”, writes the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Russia has on several occasions requested access to the Swedish investigation and its results – a request that has been rejected by Sweden.
