Czech President Petr Pavel has described the Nord Stream gas pipelines as "legitimate strategic targets" during times of war, triggering a strong reaction from Russia.
Pavel made these comments during an interview on the PoliTalk podcast, where he was asked about reports that Ukrainians were behind the 2022 explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines.
Pavel explained that in an armed conflict, not only military targets but also strategic objects, such as pipelines, are fair game.
He stated that if the attack on Nord Stream was aimed at stopping gas and oil supplies to Europe and cutting off money to Russia, it could be viewed as a valid military action.
According to a report by Meduza, Pavel made it clear that he had no information confirming Ukraine's involvement in the explosions.
Pavel acknowledged that the attack on Nord Stream did create "certain difficulties" for European countries but noted that these challenges were manageable.
Russia reacted strongly to these comments.
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, criticized Pavel, calling him a "shocking marginal" and comparing his statements to those made by terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
The explosions that damaged three of the four Nord Stream pipelines took place in September 2022 near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Several countries, including Germany, began investigations into the incident.
A recent report by The Wall Street Journal suggests that a group of Ukrainian officers might have been behind the pipeline sabotage.
The report claims that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially approved the plan but later ordered it to be stopped at the request of the CIA. Despite this, the plan allegedly continued under the direction of Valeriy Zaluzhny, who was then the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The involvement of Ukrainian divers in the explosions has also been mentioned, with Germany reportedly seeking the arrest of one suspect, Vladimir Zhuravlev, though Polish authorities have so far refused to act.
The controversy continues to deepen, with Polish officials reportedly telling their German counterparts that any suspects linked to the Nord Stream attack "should be awarded medals, not arrested."
