Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin criticised Germany's response to the attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline and said it shows that the European country remains "occupied" by the US. He alleged that Berlin was unable to act independently decades after its surrender at the end of World War II.
Speaking on Russian television, Putin, who has waged war on neighbouring Ukraine, said that European leaders have lost their sense of sovereignty and independence. "The matter is that European politicians have said themselves publicly that after World War Two, Germany was never a fully sovereign state. The Soviet Union at one point withdrew its forces and ended what amounted to an occupation of the country. But that, as is well known, was not the case with the Americans. They continue to occupy Germany," reported Reuters.
Putin on the state Rossiya-1 TV channel claimed that the blasts were carried out on a "state level" and dismissed the rumours about an autonomous pro-Ukraine group as "complete nonsense".
Russia's Nord Stream gas pipeline plays a major role in supplying energy to the West and it was attacked in September 2022. It is speculated that the blast was carried out by a pro-Ukraine group because it hindered Moscow's plans to fund the ongoing invasion. Germany was hit hard by the shortage of energy supply but has remained on Ukraine's side. The West has concluded that the blast was a deliberate act but refused to acknowledge who they think is responsible. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius last week said that the blasts could have been a "false-flag operation to blame Ukraine".
Moscow is continuing with the invasion of Ukraine even a year after it started and Kyiv is resisting. Ukraine is also getting steady support from its allies in the West. Putin has blamed the West for supporting Ukraine and fueling the conflict.
The recent incident involving a drone over the Black Sea has started an argument between the US and Russia. On Tuesday, a U.S. military MQ-9 surveillance drone crashed into the Black Sea after a Russian Su-27 fighter jet struck its propeller. The Pentagon said it is a "provocation". Russia denied any contact and claimed the drone crashed after "sharp manoeuvring."