It was enlightening to read/watch the realtime assessments of the sabotage from US leadership. The original storyline from American leadership was that Russia did it. That this story got any legs was an insult to the intelligence of any thinking person. The pipeline was a major revenue source for Russia, and probably a major reason why Germany was slow to back Ukraine. Eventually leadership realized that this was a t…
We were consuming different media at the time. I do not recall anyone serious making definitive statements about the perpetrators. Too many groups had the motive and opportunity to execute the plan. Given the small crew size required, it would not have even required national backing to execute. A professional diving crew would possess all the required equipment without additional funding.
This might be narrowly literally true, but - especially in the context that apparently the CIA was aware of the Ukrainian plot to carry out the attack before it occurred - former CIA director Clapper saying "Russia is certainly the most likely suspect" or Biden's statement “Let me say this, it was a deliberate act of sabotage and now the Russians are pumping out disinformation and lies”
And the anonymous "officials familiar with the latest intelligence" informed CNN [If Russia did deliberately cause the explosions] that Moscow would likely view such a step as worth the price if it helped raise the costs of supporting Ukraine for Europe. US and western intelligence officials believe Putin is gambling that as electricity costs rise and winter approaches, European publics could turn against the Western strategy of isolating Russia economically. Sabotaging the pipelines could “show what Russia is capable of,” one US official previously told CNN.
And national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Friday that the US does not believe any NATO ally is behind the leaks.
etc ... I think it's fair to say this at least vaguely pointed finger at Russia communicated to the public an impression which US leadership knew to be false.
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/28/politics/nord-stream-pipe...