Putin rejects theory about Ukrainian role in pipeline blasts

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed as “sheer nonsense” allegations that Ukrainians were behind the explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea last year. He once again insisted that the U.S. was behind the incident. Putin spoke on Tuesday after The New York Times, The Washington Post and German media published stories last week citing unidentified U.S. and other officials as saying there was evidence Ukraine, or at least Ukrainians, may have been responsible. The Ukrainian government has denied involvement. Putin insisted that “such an explosion, so powerful and at such depth, could only be conducted by experts backed by the entire potential of a state that has relevant technologies.”