Two Gas Pipelines, One Electrical Line Sabotaged; Georgia and Armenia left out in the Cold, page 1

posted on Jan, 22 2006 @ 11:15 AM

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Explosions at three different locations have cut off gas supplies and 25% of electricity supplies to two former Soviet Block countries. The leader of Georgia blames Moscow for sabotaging their own pipelines and emphasises the unreliability of Russia as a supplier.

Russia blamed for 'gas sabotage'
BBC News
Sunday, 22 January 2006

Georgia's president has accused Moscow of serious acts of "sabotage" after gas blasts on Russian pipelines cut off supplies to Georgia and Armenia.

An electricity transmission line was also destroyed as Georgia experiences extremely cold weather.

Russian prosecutors have described the attacks as deliberate criminal acts.

Georgia has no gas reserves and was due to run out of gas on Sunday evening, correspondents say.

Relations between Georgia and Russia have been tense since Mr Saakashvili was swept to power by the so-called "Rose Revolution" in 2003, pledging to lead his nation on a pro-Western course.

The two explosions occurred on the main branch and a reserve branch of the Mozdok-Tbilisi pipeline in the Russian border region of North Ossetia at around 0300 local time (2400 GMT).

The electricity transmission line in Russia's southern region of Karachayevo-Cherkessiya - also near the Georgian border - was brought down by an explosion just hours later.

Georgia is holding emergency talks aimed at securing supplies from Azerbaijan and Iran, but this could also take several days, said Georgian Deputy Energy Minister Aleko Khetagurov.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

With the entire area being under the influence of an extreme cold snap there have been reports of even some European countries noticing a drop in supplies from Russia (e.g. Italy) and now we have two countries completely cut off.

So what do you think?

Russia is behind the sabotage as an excuse to protect it's own supplies? Rebels from neighbouring Chechnya wanting to cut a source of revenue for Russia? Someone 'else' trying to paint Russia as an unreliable supplier for Europe and thus turn Europe against them?

Georgia is part of the "pro-western colour revolutions" rumoured to have been heavily influenced by US assets/interests in the area.

The energy wars continue.
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[edit on 1/22/2006 by Gools]

WyrdeOne

posted on Jan, 22 2006 @ 09:08 PM

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While not impossible, I find it hard to believe that Russia would blow their own lines.

Seems to me like the Georgians have an axe to grind, and they don't particularly care about the real cause of the outages.

I liked the Russian response to the accusations.

They basically just said the accusations were completely false, and were being made on the strength of political motives alone, rather than any kind of evidence. They also delivered a sort of thinly veiled threat, to the effect of "watch what you say or you'll see what we can really do to make your life miserable."

hehe

I'm siding with Russia until some evidence is provided to the contrary.

makeitso

posted on Jan, 22 2006 @ 09:38 PM

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There are so many players in that area and all of them are capable of doing it. It is too tough to call.

At a guess, I would say the Islamic terrorist would go after the oil pipeline instead of gas. I would surmise that the chechnya rebels would prefer to focus their resourses on hitting Russian assets, not countries that have broken away like they want to.

Probably its Russia, judging by their recent dealings with their new gas monopoly and how they treat the countries that are no longer strongly in their sphere of influence.

Guess we will have to wait for more evidence.

Regensturm

posted on Jan, 23 2006 @ 09:20 AM

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If Russia did commit sabotage, there is also the claims this morning that the Russian FSB have outed British spies in Moscow....

Perhaps Russia are flexing their muscles and feeling of importance, and are saying to the nations it's producing oil to:

"Don't cheese us off. We've got you by the balls now."

Hellmutt

posted on Jan, 23 2006 @ 05:35 PM

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Armenia and Azerbaijan is in a "very near war" situation right now. The attacks cut both electricity and gas to Armenia. Armenia don´t import gas from Azerbaijan or from anybody else as far as I know. Here´s some pictures from one of the locations which were attacked.

All photos: AP

Hellmutt

posted on Jan, 25 2006 @ 03:21 AM

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A gas compressor "failed" on Russian side of the Russo-Azeri border. Gas supply from Azerbaijan has been decreased because of this and the energy crisis worsens.

Civil Georgia: Energy Crisis Worsens as Equipment Fails on Russo-Azeri Border

2006-01-24

The gas supply to Georgia from Azerbaijan has decreased from more than 3 million cubic meters to 2.5 million cubic meters per day, after gas compressor equipment was damaged at the Russian-Azeri border, Georgian Energy Minister Nika Gilauri said at a news conference on January 24.

Gilauri said that he has no information regarding the reasons behind the damage of this gas compressor, which is located on the Russian side of the Russo-Azeri border.

sminkeypinkey

posted on Jan, 26 2006 @ 07:01 AM

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It is far from clear who did what top the lines.

On the other hand Georgia is 'doing a Ukraine' IMO.

They were free to and did freely chose to leave 'the Russian club' and now bitterly complain that the 'perks' of membership no longer apply and that they will have to move to the market rate for their gas.

I might have some sympathy for them (and with this 'energy wars' notion) if Russia were trying to charge them excessively compared to what they charge western Europe but all they want is to apply the 'normal' customer price they charge the rest of us.

Hellmutt

posted on Jan, 28 2006 @ 01:47 AM

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Another "accident" cut off gas to Chechnya. Georgia has a new deal to get gas from Iran and most of Georgia is still without power and heating. Electricity rationing is introduced in Turkey.

BBC: Chechens freeze as gas is cut off

27 January 2006

Gas supplies to parts of Chechnya's capital Grozny have been cut off after an accident damaged a gas pipeline running through the Russian region. The accident came shortly before its energy-starved neighbour Georgia agreed a deal with Iran to get extra gas. Most of Georgia still lacks power and heating after snow and wind knocked down its main power line and explosions ruptured a key Russian gas pipeline. Russia and its neighbours are suffering from extreme cold this winter.

Across the Black Sea, Turkey says it is introducing electricity rationing because of reduced supplies from Russia and Iran. Iran says it reduced its exports because harsh weather had raised domestic consumption.

WyrdeOne

posted on Jan, 28 2006 @ 04:33 AM

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Hmmmmm....

Lots of accidents, eh?

I'm now definitely open to the suggestion Russia may have an ulterior motive in this string of incidents. At first I thought it might be an isolated incident, but this is starting to look more and more suspicious. The profit motive is clear if they intend to reserve their energy for customers who can pay market price.

As always Hellmutt, great stuff!