Russia-to-Europe Nord Stream natural gas pipelines hit with leaks, sabotage suspected

European officials are investigating unexplained leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines that bring natural gas from Russia to Europe under the Baltic Sea and on Wednesday vowed retaliation if the leaks are the result of sabotage.

"All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act," European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on behalf of the bloc’s 27 members, according to the Associated Press. "Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response."

Seismologists on Tuesday reported explosions at the underwater natural gas pipelines that run from Russia to Germany.

The incident is the latest as Russia escalates its war on Ukraine and pushes back against Western opposition to the effort.

Russia supplies Europe with much of its energy and has already taken steps during the war to limit the supply, in apparent retaliation for the opposition.

Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said Tuesday that the leaks could be part of Russia’s war on NATO, the wire service also reports.

"The explosions took place very close to Danish territorial waters, but not inside them, because that would have meant NATO territory," Rau said during a discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.