Investigating the Roots of the Controversy
On October 8, unsubstantiated allegations of Moscow’s involvement in the damage to the Balticconnector pipeline and a telecom cable reverberated throughout the region. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov fervently negated any Russian participation. Although Finnish authorities suspect foul play, no affirmative conclusion has been drawn yet regarding whether the incident was accidental or a deliberate act of sabotage.
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, during a television interview recently, proposed a bold move: that NATO should ban maritime traffic in the Baltic Sea in the event that ties traced back to Russia as the source of the mishap. Membership to NATO is shared by Finland, Estonia, and Latvia, each bearing allegiance to the Western military coalition.
Moscow’s Rebuttal
Peskov, in response to the Latvian President’s suggestion, commented during a regular press conference, imparting that all threats, regardless of origin, must be treated with credence. He asserted that any threats directed towards Russia are absolutely unacceptable, restating Moscow’s non-involvement in the incident.
Finland’s current probe appears to be training its sight on the role of the allegedly incriminated container vessel, the Chinese New Polar Bear in the controversy.
Turning the Tables
Peskov’s following remarks came as a counteraccusation. He questioned Rinkevics apropos to the explosions of last year that caused significant damage to Russia’s undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea. Without providing evidence, he accused the United States and her allies of orchestrating this act of destruction, which the accused, Washington, fervently denies. The mystery behind the sabotage remains unsolved, with investigators from Sweden, Denmark, and Germany alleging foul play but unable to pinpoint the culprit.
Asking what efforts should be employed to safeguard the Baltic Sea post-investigation, Peskov challenged Rinkevics about who would be held responsible for ordering and executing the “terrorist attack” against the Nord Streams. Peskov expressed that Rinkevics chose to hold his silence and refrain from responding to these queries.
