A Russian vessel capable of carrying mini-submarines was spotted close to the Nord Stream pipelines days before an explosion crippled the major piece of infrastructure, a Danish newspaper reports.
The Information reports the Norwegian military took 26 photos of the Russian SS-750 close to where the pipeline was severely damaged in the Baltic Sea.
The SS-750 is a specialty ship designed for underwater operations.
The Nord Stream gas pipelines channel natural gas underneath the ocean from Russia to Germany.
The SS-750 left Kaliningrad on September 21 with its AIS tracker switched off, but the tugboat shifting it out of the harbour had its tracker on.
Three explosions on September 26 last year put the pipelines out of action.
The suspicious explosions triggered investigations by Sweden, Denmark and Germany, all within close proximity of the pipelines.
But to date, no culprit has been identified.
Previous reports have put the blame on Ukrainians operating outside the authority of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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The Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused Western countries to dramatically reduce their dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
The EU reduced its use of natural gas by 17.7 per cent between August and March, compared to averages over the previous five years.
Consumption of natural gas more than halved in Finland and dropped by 40 per cent in Lithuania, which both border Russia.
Meanwhile, the US has overtaken Russia as the biggest supplier of crude oil to the EU.
Before the invasion, Russia had 31 per cent of the EU crude oil market, but in little more than a year it has dropped to 13 per cent.
The US accounts for 18 per cent of oil imported into the EU.
Google Maps shows devastating impact of Russia’s invasion in Ukraine’s Mariupol
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