UN Security Council Meeting Requested by Russia
Russia has requested a new meeting of the United Nations Security Council on July 11 to discuss the explosions that occurred on the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022.
Despite previous unsuccessful attempts to gain access to investigations conducted by Sweden and other countries, Russia remains determined to address the blasts that severely damaged the pipelines connecting Russia and Germany.
Traces of Explosives Found on Yacht
German investigators have made a significant breakthrough in their ongoing investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline explosions. Traces of explosives have been discovered aboard a yacht, raising suspicions about its potential involvement in the sabotage.
The yacht, believed to have carried the charge responsible for damaging the undersea conduit, was rented from a Polish company allegedly owned by two Ukrainians. However, Kyiv firmly denies any involvement in the incident.
A Closer Look at Motives and Speculations
The Nord Stream pipeline sabotage has sparked intense speculation about the motives behind the attack and the possible actors involved. While Berlin warns against hasty conclusions, pundits have put forth various theories to suit their causes. Some suggest it may have been a false flag operation by Moscow to display strength and retaliate against the suspension of gas imports, while others mention claims made by veteran American journalist Seymour Hersh, implicating gas producers Norway and the US in collusion.
Europe's Energy Dependency and Impact of the Sabotage
As investigations continue, attention turns to Europe's energy dependency and the potential consequences of the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. The incident has prompted discussions about reducing reliance on Russian gas and exploring alternative energy sources. Europe has managed without Russian gas in large part due to favorable weather conditions. As reported by the IEA, Europe experienced diverse weather impacts on electricity demand in 2022, with variations across different regions and seasons. Southern Europe saw an overall increase in electricity demand due to a hot summer, with space cooling surpassing the decline in heating consumption. Conversely, northern Europe experienced the opposite trend. France stood out as a country where both heating and cooling significantly affected electricity demand, accounting for approximately 20% of total consumption. France had high space heating demand, rivaling Nordic countries, but also substantial space cooling demand in the services sector. Despite weather-related factors causing a slight decrease of less than 1% in electricity demand in the European Union, other non-weather-related factors were responsible for a larger reduction of over 2% in total consumption.
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