Rishi Sunak govt slams 'lie of epic scale' as Russia blames UK for Nord stream attack

Russia on Saturday accused the UK Royal Navy of blowing up Europe's 1,230 km twin gas pipeline infrastructure—the Nord Stream— in the Baltic Sea. However, the British defence ministry has denied the allegations and accused Moscow of resorting to peddling false claims of an "epic scale".

"This invented story, says more about arguments going on inside the Russian government than it does about the west," said the British defence ministry.

Russia alleged that British Navy officers blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month. “According to available information, Royal Navy representatives took part in the planning and implementation of a terrorist act in the Baltic Sea on September 26 to blow up the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines”, the MoD said in a statement, citing the evidence.

The Putin administration has also alleged that the"British specialists" directed Ukrainian drone "terrorist attacks" on Russian ships in the Black Sea.

"Russian side intends to draw the international community's attention, including at the UNSC, to a series of terrorist attacks committed against the Russian Federation in the Black and Baltic seas, highlighting the UK's involvement," Russian MFA spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

The Nord Stream I and II pipelines were damaged due to several powerful explosions in late September. The pipeline played a pivotal role in the transit of Russian gas to Europe. The Swedish and Danish authorities reckoned sabotage, and the European member states accused Moscow of being covertly involved in the incident. However, Putin, at that time, blamed Washington and its allies for the act.