In the latest development of Russia’s Nord Stream Pipeline, two explosions in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Baltic Sea resulted in what could amount to the largest-ever single release of methane gas into the atmosphere. “At least two detonations occurred underwater, damaging the pipelines belonging to Nord Stream 1 and 2, causing major leaks of natural gas into the Baltic Sea,” the countries’ permanent missions to the United Nations said. But, in a recent speech to mark the annexation of four Ukrainian regions invaded by Russian forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday blamed the United States and its allies for blowing up the undersea Nord Stream pipelines, raising the temperature in a crisis that has left Europe racing to secure its energy infrastructure and supplies.