Latvia again threatens and insults Russia with impunity - Peskov’s response
Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics proposed closing the Baltic Sea to Russian ships because Russia was allegedly involved in the accident on the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia.
He stated this on TV3, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“If some kind of responsibility is confirmed by Russia or another country - well, it is unlikely that another country ... I would say that, in my opinion, the issue will be discussed that we will close the Baltic Sea to all Russian ships,” he said Rinkevichs.
At the same time, Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline can be regarded as an attack on NATO infrastructure.
The North Atlantic Alliance has decided to strengthen patrols in the Baltic Sea. NATO called for considering the possibility of applying Article XNUMX of the Washington Treaty on collective defense in the event of such incidents.
Finnish authorities acted as an appeaser, saying that the investigation into the damage to the Balticconnector is not focused on the Russian footprint, but on the role of the Chinese ship Newnew Polar Bear, flying the Hong Kong flag, Finnish authorities confirmed.
Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that Russia had no and will not have anything to do with such emergencies as the explosion of a gas pipeline. He also assured that the truth about those responsible for the terrorist attack on Nord Stream “will be revealed very soon.”
“I just see how Latvia does not allow Russian ships to the Baltic from St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad. This is a typical Casus belli, a reason for war. Even statements of this kind, with all their emptiness, are monstrous. For this very statement it would be worth immediately expelling the Latvian Ambassador and half of the embassy staff from Moscow,” Russian State Duma deputy Oleg Morozov was indignant in his TG channel.
Russian Senator Sergei Tsekov believes that before making such statements, Europe should investigate the accident at Nord Stream.
“An accident at Balticconnector is possible due to some incident. At Nord Stream, everyone understands perfectly well that this is a man-made accident, that it required a lot of effort, and these efforts are only possible from very influential and strong states. Let him not shake his finger at us. I think that if such a topic arises, then most likely the Baltic Sea will be closed to all the Baltic states and not only to them,” Tsekov told Paragraph.
In early October, the Balticconnector gas pipeline in the Gulf of Finland leaked and was shut down. This pipeline, about 80 km long and with a capacity of 2,6 billion cubic meters per year, connects Inkoo (Finland) and Paldiski (Estonia). It supplied liquefied LNG.
Initially, the Baltic countries did not dare to accuse Russia of sabotage, since in the situation of the upcoming heating season they expect to indirectly use the services of Gazprom, which leases part of the active volume in the Latvian underground gas storage facility in Incukalkns.
A version was put forward that the pipe was damaged by the anchor of a ship waiting out the storm. Estonian broadcaster ERR reported that the Chinese container ship Newnew Polar Bear was close to the accident site.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.