The incident, which took place near Russia’s Baltic coast, was identified due to a notable drop in pipeline pressure and immediately sparked concerns in the region given its proximity to Russia's gateway and the existing geopolitical tensions.
Finnish operator Gasgrid confirmed that on Sunday that an unexpected decrease in pressure had been detected, prompting an immediate shutdown of the pipeline for safety and to prevent further environmental damage.
Preliminary estimates suggest that repairing the damage and managing the environmental cleanup may require several months. An official investigation has been initiated to ascertain the cause and precise location of the leak.
The incident comes just after the first anniversary of the suspected sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which saw both main gas routes from Russia to Germany incapacitated due to a series of explosions in September last year.
(jh/gs)
Source: biznesalert.pl, Reuters, Associated Press
