Who Blew Up Nord Stream? The Sabotage That Changed Europe History Book Buffs | The Nord Stream Conspiracy by Bojan Pancevski
In September 2022, explosions ripped through the Nord Stream gas pipelines beneath the Baltic Sea. Who was responsible for one of the most audacious acts of sabotage in modern history? Russia? The CIA? Or Ukraine itself?
This week on History Book Buffs, Antonia Senior and Roger Moorhouse break with tradition to discuss The Nord Stream Conspiracy by investigative journalist Bojan Pancevski — a gripping account of the operation and the German investigation that followed.
But this is much more than a geopolitical whodunit. Nord Stream was the ultimate symbol of Europe's faith that trade could prevent war. From the origins of European integration to Germany's disastrous dependence on Russian gas, Antonia and Roger explore how the pipeline's destruction marked the collapse of decades of assumptions about Russia, security and globalisation.
They also debate whether Russia is condemned by its history to behave as an imperial aggressor, why conspiracy theories flourish even in the face of compelling evidence, and the extraordinary prospect of Ukrainians standing trial in Germany over the attack.
A story of spies, sabotage, historical miscalculation and the limits of economic diplomacy — and a book Roger thinks everyone should read.
In this episode:
The extraordinary story behind the Nord Stream explosions
How Germany became dependent on Russian energy
Wandel durch Handel: the belief that trade could bring peace
Russia, Ukraine and the long shadow of empire
The German investigation and its political consequences
Why conspiracy theories survive even when the evidence contradicts them
How to turn a complex investigation into a gripping narrative
Book discussed: The Nord Stream Conspiracy by Bojan Pancevski.
Presented by: Antonia Senior and Roger Moorhouse.