JAKARTA - Russia's intelligence chief said on Friday Moscow had material indicating the West had a role in the leakage of the Nord Stream underwater pipeline, threatening to make them permanently unused, Russian news agencies reported.
"We have material that leads to the West's footprint in the organization and the implementation of this terrorist act," Interfax news agency quoted the Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Agency (SVR) Sergey Naryshkin as saying.
Naryshkin's statement is the most direct charge against the West of a senior Russian official. He did not say what evidence Russia has.
Last Thursday, President Vladimir Putin said "unprecedented sabotage" of the Nord Stream gas pipeline was an "international act of terrorism."
On the same day, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Maria Zakharova said Washington was standing to benefit from the disrupted pipeline network.
Meanwhile, the European Union is investigating the cause of the leak in the Gazprom-led Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, saying they suspect sabotage behind damage off the coasts of Denmark and Sweden.
Sweden's Energy Minister said on Friday, "very likely" the attack on the pipeline network was carried out on purpose.
Either Nord Stream 1 or 2 did not operate when cracks were found on Monday, but both contained gas. Nord Stream AG, pipeline operator Nord Stream 1 said it expected gas leaks to stop on Monday, but could not access the area to assess the damage.
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