S9 Ep5: Who Attacked Nord Stream? Inside the Investigation with Florian Flade
10/06/24 • 53 min
2 Listeners
Florian, working with the German public broadcaster Tagesschau, has spent years investigating issues surrounding national security, terrorism, and intelligence. In this episode, we explore the tangled web of geopolitical intrigue surrounding the Nord Stream pipeline bombings, examining who may be responsible and what this attack means for Ukraine’s potential future in the EU and NATO. From questions of Ukrainian involvement to the presence of Russian spy ships in the Baltic, we’ll be unpacking a story filled with uncertainty, strategic sabotage, and high-stakes diplomacy.
So, tune in as we dive into the facts, theories, and investigative breakthroughs that shed light on this murky case.
Follow Florian on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/FlorianFlade
Articles and reporting discussed in the episode
"New clue apparently leads to Ukraine" by Florian Flade & Manuel Bewarder | Tagesschau (May 2023)"Search in Germany" by Florian Flade & Manuel Bewarder | Tagesschau (June 2023)
"Sailing yacht with stopover in Poland" by Florian Flade, Manuel Bewarder, Michael Götschenberg, Georg Heil & Holger Schmidt | Tagesschau (June 2023)
"Denying All Involvement" by Florian Flade, Manuel Bewarder, et al. | Tagesschau (September 2023)
"New list from Poland raises questions" by Florian Flade, Manuel Bewarder, Michael Götschenberg, Georg Heil & Holger Schmidt | Tagesschau (September 2023)
"Sweden wants to stop Nord Stream proceedings" by Florian Flade & Manuel Bewarder | Tagesschau (February 2024)
"First arrest warrant for Nord Stream attacks" by Florian Flade, Manuel Bewarder, Michael Götschenberg, Georg Heil & Holger Schmidt | Tagesschau (August 2024)
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Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD.
Music by Andrew R. Bird
Florian, working with the German public broadcaster Tagesschau, has spent years investigating issues surrounding national security, terrorism, and intelligence. In this episode, we explore the tangled web of geopolitical intrigue surrounding the Nord Stream pipeline bombings, examining who may be responsible and what this attack means for Ukraine’s potential future in the EU and NATO. From questions of Ukrainian involvement to the presence of Russian spy ships in the Baltic, we’ll be unpacking a story filled with uncertainty, strategic sabotage, and high-stakes diplomacy.
So, tune in as we dive into the facts, theories, and investigative breakthroughs that shed light on this murky case.
Follow Florian on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/FlorianFlade
Articles and reporting discussed in the episode
"New clue apparently leads to Ukraine" by Florian Flade & Manuel Bewarder | Tagesschau (May 2023)"Search in Germany" by Florian Flade & Manuel Bewarder | Tagesschau (June 2023)
"Sailing yacht with stopover in Poland" by Florian Flade, Manuel Bewarder, Michael Götschenberg, Georg Heil & Holger Schmidt | Tagesschau (June 2023)
"Denying All Involvement" by Florian Flade, Manuel Bewarder, et al. | Tagesschau (September 2023)
"New list from Poland raises questions" by Florian Flade, Manuel Bewarder, Michael Götschenberg, Georg Heil & Holger Schmidt | Tagesschau (September 2023)
"Sweden wants to stop Nord Stream proceedings" by Florian Flade & Manuel Bewarder | Tagesschau (February 2024)
"First arrest warrant for Nord Stream attacks" by Florian Flade, Manuel Bewarder, Michael Götschenberg, Georg Heil & Holger Schmidt | Tagesschau (August 2024)
Support Secrets and Spies
Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpiesBuy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996
Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg
For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com
Connect with us on social media
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/SecretsAndSpiesInstagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies
Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social
Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies
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Follow Chris and Matt on Twitter/X:
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https://twitter.com/FultonMatt
Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD.
Music by Andrew R. Bird
Previous Episode
S9 Ep4: Hezbollah Decapitated, Israel Invades, and Iran Attacks with Phillip Smyth
In this special episode, Matt welcomes back Phillip Smyth just days after his last appearance to analyze another major development in the Middle East: the assassination of Hezbollah’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, in a targeted Israeli airstrike. Nasrallah’s death has sent shockwaves across Lebanon, Iran, and the wider network of Iran-backed militias, raising pressing questions about Hezbollah’s future and its role in regional power dynamics.
Phillip returns to help unpack the key players, their motives, and the potential fallout from this strike. Together, they examine Israel’s strategic objectives, Iran’s retaliatory actions, and the broader implications for the already fragile situation in the Middle East. They also explore the ongoing Israeli ground offensive and Iran’s ballistic missile strikes in response.
It’s a rapidly evolving situation, so join Phillip and Matt as they break down the latest developments and consider what might come next.
Phillip’s work for West Point’s Combatting Terrorism Center: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/.
Phillip’s work at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth
Follow Phillip on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth
Relevant articles and reporting
"Iran’s Strikes on Israel Look Calculated to Shore Up Regional Alliance" by Erika Solomon | The New York Times"A Wider War in the Middle East, From Hamas to Hezbollah and Now Iran" by David E. Sanger | The New York Times
"Israel Has Destroyed Half of Hezbollah’s Arsenal, US and Israeli Officials Say" by Edward Wong, Julian E. Barnes & Eric Schmitt | The New York Times
"Deep intelligence penetration enabled Israel to kill Hassan Nasrallah" by Dan Sabbagh | The Guardian
"How Israel's bitter 2006 war with Hezbollah could shape possible Lebanon invasion" by Robert Tollast | The National
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Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD.
Music by Andrew R. Bird
Next Episode
S9 Ep6: Espresso Martini | Gaza After a Year of War, Iran’s Criminal Alliances, Russia’s Arctic Intrigues, and Tom Clancy’s Legacy
In this episode of Espresso Martini, Chris and Matt discuss a new public opinion poll revealing a sharp decline in Palestinian support for Hamas after a brutal year of war in Gaza. They also explore Iran’s troubling alliances with criminal organizations to carry out assassinations in the West, and Russia’s use of a remote Norwegian town in the Arctic as a laboratory for hybrid warfare. Lastly, 40 years after The Hunt for Red October, they reflect on the enduring legacy of Tom Clancy, whose work continues to shape military fiction and public perceptions of global conflict. Tune in for a compelling mix of current events, espionage, and cultural reflections on the impact of techno-thrillers.
You can now watch us on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Vb4U23bn80s
Articles discussed in today’s episode
“Hamas Is Monstrous. Most Gazans Agree.” by Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib | The Dispatch
“Iran turns to Hells Angels and other criminal gangs to target critics” by Greg Miller, Souad Mekhennet & Cate Brown | The Washington Post
“Russia’s Espionage War in the Arctic” by Ben Taub | The New Yorker
“Tom Clancy’s legend began 40 years ago – with a nudge from The Post” by Dan Diamond | The Washington Post
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Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD.
Music by Andrew R. Bird
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