Moscow claims EU country's president uses language akin to a terrorist
The Czech president's assertion that Nord Stream is a “legitimate target” for Ukraine has drawn criticism from Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned statements by Czech Republic’s Petr Pavel regarding the Nord Stream pipelines, claiming he went too far by labeling them a “legitimate target” for Ukraine.
Czech President Petr Pavel has been accused of sounding like "an international terrorist" by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova after he suggested that the Nord Stream gas pipelines could be seen as a “legitimate target” for Ukraine.
In a conversation with the Wall Street Journal, it was revealed that Kiev supposedly orchestrated the September 2022 sabotage that damaged the pipelines responsible for transporting Russian gas to Germany and Western Europe. Pavel commented to Novinky.cz, asserting that if the Nord Stream attack "was aimed at cutting off gas and oil supplies to Europe and [the flow of] money back to Russia, then... it would be a legitimate target [for Ukraine]." He clarified, however, that he lacks "clear incriminating" evidence that Kiev had a role in the act.
Zakharova responded to Pavel’s statements in a Telegram post, describing them as excessive and likening his rhetoric to that of "eccentric fringe [figures]."
“Previously, such ‘ideas’ were only voiced by representatives of banned international terrorist cells,” she stated.
Zakharova also pointed out that past leaders from groups like Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have made similar calls targeting the US, paralleling them to Pavel’s comments.
Reports to the Wall Street Journal suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially green-lighted the Nord Stream sabotage but attempted to retract the order, influenced by the CIA. Nevertheless, the operation purportedly proceeded under the authorization of the then-Ukrainian commander-in-chief, Valery Zaluzhny.
The US publication's report coincided with Germany issuing its first arrest warrant related to the Nord Stream destruction, with a suspect identified as a Ukrainian diving instructor under the alias ‘Vladimir Z.’
Meanwhile, Kiev has repudiated any involvement in the sabotage, accusing Russia of orchestrating the explosion to its own infrastructure—a claim Russia has ridiculed as “ridiculous.”
Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have hinted at the US as the potential perpetrator, arguing that the US had the capability and stood to benefit most from disrupting Russian gas supplies to Europe, leading to a pivot towards costlier American liquefied natural gas.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
Czech President Petr Pavel has been accused of sounding like "an international terrorist" by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova after he suggested that the Nord Stream gas pipelines could be seen as a “legitimate target” for Ukraine.
In a conversation with the Wall Street Journal, it was revealed that Kiev supposedly orchestrated the September 2022 sabotage that damaged the pipelines responsible for transporting Russian gas to Germany and Western Europe. Pavel commented to Novinky.cz, asserting that if the Nord Stream attack "was aimed at cutting off gas and oil supplies to Europe and [the flow of] money back to Russia, then... it would be a legitimate target [for Ukraine]." He clarified, however, that he lacks "clear incriminating" evidence that Kiev had a role in the act.
Zakharova responded to Pavel’s statements in a Telegram post, describing them as excessive and likening his rhetoric to that of "eccentric fringe [figures]."
“Previously, such ‘ideas’ were only voiced by representatives of banned international terrorist cells,” she stated.
Zakharova also pointed out that past leaders from groups like Islamic State and Al-Qaeda have made similar calls targeting the US, paralleling them to Pavel’s comments.
Reports to the Wall Street Journal suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky initially green-lighted the Nord Stream sabotage but attempted to retract the order, influenced by the CIA. Nevertheless, the operation purportedly proceeded under the authorization of the then-Ukrainian commander-in-chief, Valery Zaluzhny.
The US publication's report coincided with Germany issuing its first arrest warrant related to the Nord Stream destruction, with a suspect identified as a Ukrainian diving instructor under the alias ‘Vladimir Z.’
Meanwhile, Kiev has repudiated any involvement in the sabotage, accusing Russia of orchestrating the explosion to its own infrastructure—a claim Russia has ridiculed as “ridiculous.”
Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, have hinted at the US as the potential perpetrator, arguing that the US had the capability and stood to benefit most from disrupting Russian gas supplies to Europe, leading to a pivot towards costlier American liquefied natural gas.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
