Ukraine war: Russia fails at UN to get Nord Stream blast inquiry
- Only China and Brazil on the UN Security Council voted alongside Russia in favour of seeking an independent investigation of the gas pipeline explosions
- Moscow has maintained, without providing evidence, that the West was behind the blasts
Russia failed on Monday to get the UN Security Council to ask for an independent inquiry into explosions in September on the Nord Stream gas pipelines connecting Russia and Germany that spewed gas into the Baltic Sea.
Only Russia, China and Brazil voted in favour of the Russian-drafted text, while the remaining 12 council members abstained. A resolution needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes by Russia, China, France, the United States or Britain to pass.
Russia proposed the draft resolution last month, just days before the first anniversary of its invasion of Ukraine.
“Without an objective and transparent international investigation the truth will not be uncovered as to what happened,” Russia’s UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council before the vote.
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‘Powerful explosions’ caused Nord Stream leaks, Danish authorities say
The pipeline blasts occurred in the exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Last month Sweden, Denmark and Germany said that their own separate investigations by national authorities were still ongoing and Russia has been informed.
They said in a joint letter to the Security Council that the damage was caused by “powerful explosions due to sabotage”.