Russia claims it asked US about involvement in Nord Stream explosions

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Moscow requested an explanation from Washington regarding its involvement in the explosions in the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

During a news briefing in Moscow, Zakharova told Anadolu that the explanations were demanded publicly and in a statement regarding the incident published on the ministry's website on Feb. 21.

"We have repeatedly spoken publicly, including to American representatives about this. And our comment of Feb. 21 contains the following quote -- 'it was emphasized from the Russian side that the US should give explanations about the explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, and not interfere with an objective investigation to identify the perpetrators.' Therefore, the short answer is yes," she said.

About media reports, claiming the International Criminal Court may open two cases against Russia due to its "special military operation" in Ukraine, Zakharova said it was a "controlled leak" aimed at "keeping the topic afloat, but at the same time not to bear any responsibility."

Also, she said, Russia is not a party to the Rome Statute on the International Criminal Court and does not have obligations under it, so its decisions will have no legal consequence.

"Therefore, Russia does not cooperate with this body, and possible 'recipes' for arrest coming from the International Criminal Court will be legally null and void for us," she said.

The Nord Stream pipelines, which carried Russian natural gas to northern Germany via the Baltic Sea, were ruptured in a series of blasts on Sept. 26 last year, causing leaks in what officials from countries in the region called "likely sabotage."