TOP HEADLINES

· The New York Times, citing evidence from U.S. intelligence, has reported that a pro-Ukraine group, likely made up of Ukrainians or Russians, was responsible for blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines that run under the Baltic Sea between Russia and Germany last September.

· Germany's ARD broadcaster and Die Zeit newspaper said the attack was carried out by five men and one woman who rented a yacht and used false passports.

· In response, Russia spokesman Dmitry Peskov told RIA news agency that the U.S. was guilty of pointing the finger of blame without conducting a proper investigation.

· Peskov added that Nord Stream shareholder countries and the United Nations should demand an "urgent and transparent investigation.”

· German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Wednesday warned against reaching premature conclusions on who was responsible for blowing up the Nord Stream pipelines, suggesting the attack could have been a "false flag" operation to blame Ukraine.

· The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group said on Wednesday his forces had taken full control of the eastern part of the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

· Russian forces made more than 30 unsuccessful attacks over the past day near Orekhovo-Vasylivna alone, 20 km (12 miles) northwest of Bakhmut, the General Staff of the Ukraine's Armed Forces said on Wednesday.

· Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the seizure of Bakhmut would allow Moscow's forces to mount further offensive operations deeper inside Ukraine. Kyiv has vowed to keep defending the town.

· Ukraine has broadened a request for controversial cluster bombs from the United States to include a weapon that it wants to cannibalize to drop the anti-armor bomblets it contains on Russian forces from drones, according to two U.S. lawmakers.

· Existing European funds will need to be prioritized for procuring ammunition for Ukraine before any decision on fresh funds can be expected, the European Union's top diplomat Josep Borrell said on Wednesday.

· South Korea approved export licenses for Poland last year to provide Ukraine with Krab howitzers, which are built with South Korean components, a defense acquisition official in Seoul said on Wednesday.

IN DEPTH

Russia calls for international investigation into Nord Stream explosion 

Western media reports on the blowing-up of the Nord Stream gas pipelines are a coordinated bid to divert attention and Russia is perplexed that U.S. officials can assume anything about the attacks without an investigation, the Kremlin said on Wednesday.

The New York Times, citing intelligence reviewed by U.S. officials, reported on Tuesday that a pro-Ukraine group – likely made up of Ukrainians or Russians – was responsible for blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines that run under the Baltic Sea between Russia and Germany last September.

The newspaper said there was no evidence that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or other Ukrainian government officials had played any role in the attacks.

Germany's ARD broadcaster and Die Zeit newspaper said the attack was carried out by five men and one woman who rented a yacht and used false passports.

"Obviously, the authors of the attack want to divert attention," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the state RIA news agency, adding that the information had been planted.

"How can American officials assume anything without an investigation? The very least that the Nord Stream shareholder countries and the United Nations must demand is an urgent, transparent investigation with the participation of everyone who can shed light," Peskov said.

The Nord Stream 1 shareholders are Russia's state energy firm Gazprom, Germany's Wintershall and E.ON, Dutch company NV Nederlandse Gasunie and France's Engie.

Gazprom is the sole shareholder in the parallel Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which was constructed with financing from Wintershall DEA, Engie, Austria's OMV, Shell and Germany's Uniper.

Russia has repeatedly complained about being excluded from European probes into the explosions.

"We are still not allowed in the investigation. Only a few days ago we received notes about this from the Danes and Swedes," Peskov said.

"This is not just strange. It smells like a monstrous crime."

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