Germany Probes Sabotage on Pipeline to Reduce Russian Gas Dependency

The German Federal Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into possible “unconstitutional sabotage” after discovering drilled holes in a new gas delivery pipeline.

The pipeline, crucial for reducing Germany’s dependence on Russian hydrocarbons, revealed signs of sabotage in November, with the information now being made public, Breitbart reported.

The damage consists of 1 cm holes drilled into the 35-mile gas delivery pipe to supply energy to Germany’s national grid. Gasunie, a Dutch-German energy company, confirmed the damage and attributed it to “third-party intervention.”

The incident occurred at the floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in Brunsbüttel on the river Elbe, where LNG is regasified after being transported by LNG carriers.

The motive behind the sabotage remains unknown. The terminal, managed by Deutsche Energy Terminal GmbH (DET), became operational at the beginning of this year.

Speculations suggest a possible connection to the Ukraine-Russia war, which prompted the construction of new LNG terminals. Additionally, the Times (of London) noted that the terminals have faced protests from environmental activists.

The incident underscores Germany’s challenges in diversifying its energy sources and ensuring security amid geopolitical tensions.

Germany’s urgency to reduce reliance on Russian energy became evident during the Ukraine-Russia war, leading to the rapid construction of LNG terminals.

Despite many European nations importing LNG, Germany lacked its own LNG terminal when the conflict erupted. The Brunsbüttel regasification plant is one of several terminals expedited for construction to address this gap.