Delivered natural gas to Estonia
Stoltenberg: If pipeline was attacked, NATO responds
October 11, 2023, 11:06 a.m
Following the attacks on the Nord Stream pipelines, a natural gas route between Finland and Estonia is also damaged. Both states expect violence to occur. If it turns out that there is an attack, NATO will react accordingly, said Secretary General Stoltenberg.
According to the Estonian Defense Minister, the damage to a natural gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia was caused by severe violence. “It is clear to see that this damage was caused by a fairly strong force,” said Hanno Pevkur. “We still have to specify what it is exactly, but at the moment it looks more like it’s mechanical impact or mechanical destruction.” Finnish Prime Minister Sauli Niinistö had already spoken of targeted action on Tuesday.
According to government information, the leak is in Finland’s exclusive economic zone. According to a preliminary assessment, the damage found could not have been caused by normal use of the pipeline or by pressure fluctuations, said Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo at a press conference in Helsinki. It is likely that the leak was due to external influences.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg threatened a decisive response from the defense alliance. “If it turns out to be an attack on critical NATO infrastructure, NATO will unite and respond decisively,” he told a meeting of alliance defense ministers.
The 77 kilometer long Balticconnector pipeline connects Inkoo in Finland and Paldiski in Estonia. It runs through the Gulf of Finland, a part of the Baltic Sea that extends into Russian territorial waters. The operator recorded a sudden drop in pressure at 2 a.m. (local time; 1 a.m. CEST) on Sunday and shut down the line. The Finnish energy company Gasgrid has since said it could take months to repair the damage. According to the responsible operators, the natural gas demand in both states can be met from other sources, even in winter.