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The Rest Is Classified
The Rest Is Classified

178. The Plot to Destroy Russia’s Gas Empire (Ep 2)

July 22, 2026 • 56m

Summary

⏱️ 10 min read

Overview

This episode explores the audacious 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines by a small Ukrainian team. Journalist Bojan Pancevski reveals how civilian divers, working on a $250,000 budget, executed what may be one of the century's most significant acts of sabotage—destroying Russian-German energy infrastructure using a sailing yacht and basic diving equipment. The story unveils the operation's planning, the CIA's attempts to stop it, and the troubling implications for future infrastructure security.

Ukrainian Intelligence and CIA Relationship

The Ukrainian intelligence services that planned Nord Stream had been collaborating closely with the CIA since 2014, following Ukraine's westward political turn. However, contrary to typical narratives of American patronage, Ukrainians viewed the CIA primarily as a source of funding and technology rather than strategic guidance. The relationship was more transactional than hierarchical, with Ukrainians maintaining operational sovereignty while CIA provided resources and tactical training in locations like the Netherlands.

  • Ukrainian masterminds had been working closely with CIA since 2014, receiving funding, technology, and tactical training
  • Ukrainians viewed the relationship as patronage—CIA provided tech and cash, but Ukrainians masterminded their own operations
  • CIA objected to some of Ukraine's more extreme operational ideas, including Nord Stream
  • The relationship was not what it appeared—Ukrainians saw Americans as a 'cash cow' rather than strategic directors
" When I asked the Ukrainians who took part in the training, what was the best part? And they were like, oh, the best part was the pair of DMs. You know, we got a bunch of money and credit cards and we could get drunk every night. "
" To the Ukrainians or to the masterminds of Ukrainian services, the Americans were a cash cow really what they were. "

The CIA's Non-Role and $50 Million Alternative

When Ukrainian operatives sought CIA advice on underwater sabotage, a senior CIA officer privately consulted colleagues and proposed a $50 million operation involving drones and undersea technology. The Ukrainians politely declined, opting instead for their own $250,000 solution using civilian divers and a sailing yacht. This stark contrast highlights fundamentally different operational philosophies between American and Ukrainian intelligence services.

  • A CIA officer privately advised Ukrainians on subsea operations without informing superiors, proposing a drone-based approach costing around $50 million
  • Ukraine rejected the expensive CIA approach, deciding to use civilian divers, a small boat, and a crew of expert divers instead
  • The entire Ukrainian operation ultimately cost just $250,000—500 times less than the CIA proposal
  • The depth required specialist expertise beyond military combat divers, necessitating the use of technical civilian divers
" They sought advice from a relatively senior CIA officer who privately said okay I'll kind of ask around and let you know... he came back with an idea that involved drones and things undersea drones and whatever and it would have cost you know around 50 million dollars and Ukraine said oh thank you that's very kind of you but I think we'll we'll probably do it a different way because we do not have 50 million dollars. "

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