Gas blasts hit Caucasus supplies

[Eugene]

Last Updated: Sunday, 22 January 2006, 10:39 GMT

Gas blasts hit Caucasus supplies

Two explosions have ripped through Russia's main natural gas supply pipeline to Armenia and Georgia,
halting supplies to the two countries.

The blasts occurred close to the border with Georgia early on Sunday morning.

A spokesman for Russia's emergency situations ministry said officials were examining the possibility
of sabotage, although it was too early to say.

Georgian energy officials say there are 24 hours worth of gas in the pipeline, as cold weather grips
the country.

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Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4636458.stm

Related AP story: Explosions Hit Gas Pipelines in Russia

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. lovely

People were already dying from the cold all week, they're expecting -20 temps in the next few days!

[laruemtt]

2. noticed you've got st. lucia's

pitons for your avatar. that's where i am now! have you been here?

[Eugene]

4. Yes. Many times.

My family is from there. Thank you for noticing.

[laruemtt]

5. lucky you with your family being from here!

next time you're coming here, PM me. i'd love to meet a DU'er from st.lucia - the most beautiful place on earth!

[depakid]

9. I think that's what's represented on their flag...

[acmavm]

3. Sabotage? By who? For what purpose? Any actions like this would

certainly turn the populace against the doers, wouldn't it? It would certainly backfire (seems to me).

Are there hints these are rebel Chechnyans? I sincerely hope not. It's always the innocent who suffer for their actions. I won't get into a discussion as to whether or not they have any justification in their cause, but I do know that it's always innocent Russians and Chechnyan civilians who suffer the most. The Russians in things like the raids on grade schools and the Chechnyan civilians when the Russians retaliate. Oh well, might not be them.

Anybody know.

[Kagemusha]

6. If it's not Chechnyans it's likely other Moslem rebels

No disagreement about the rest of your assessment.

[bemildred]

7. It occurred to me that it might be the Russians, too ... nt

[bemildred]

8. Russia Accused of Sabotaging Georgia

I predict the Chechens will be blamed.

Tbilisi has blamed Moscow for masterminding “series of sabotage acts” against Georgia after high-voltage power line and two vital gas pipelines exploded in Russia’s North Caucasus early on January 22. President Saakashvili said that Georgia is now experiencing the worst sabotage carried out by the Russian Federation and described the latter as “an unprincipled blackmailer.”

Two blasts with 20-minute of interval hit main and reserve gas pipelines in Russia’s North Ossetia cutting off gas supply to Georgia and Armenia. In the Russia’s Republic of Karachaevo-Cherkessia, between the villages of Karachaevsk and Uchketin high-voltage power line delivering electricity from Russia into Georgia was also blown up.

The Russian General Prosecutor’s Office has initiated criminal case for “deliberate damage of property” over expositions of gas pipelines. Russian officials said explosives equivalent to 700-800 grams of TNT went off. Reportedly it will take at four days to restore main gas pipeline.

Consumers rushed to the gas stations in Tbilisi and spent hours in queues to fill gas stockpile immediately after the officials announced that gas supply was expected to stop by the evening on Sunday.

http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=11564