Norway sent its military to guard offshore oil and gas, not to ‘counter Biden’

Following the discovery of a series of gas leaks in the Nord Stream pipeline network in the Baltic Sea, Norway deployed its military to gas processing plants to protect the flow of resources coming from Russia to Europe.

European authorities believe the pipeline leaks were deliberately made but have not identified any suspects. That didn’t stop a Facebook post from blaming the United States.

“Norway readies its military to counter Biden,” the Oct. 5 post claimed.

The post also included a nearly four-minute video that went into more detail. It showed a news report from TFI Global, an India-based media company that describes itself as providing an “alternate non-mainstream narrative to news lovers.”

A woman in the video claimed the U.S. wants to “destroy Europe,” first by prolonging the war between Russia and Ukraine, then by attacking the Nord Stream network.

The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook.)

Although the investigation into the leaks continues, suspects haven’t been named. And there is no evidence that Norway employed its military “to counter Biden.” Here’s what we know.

The pipeline leaks

Four separate leaks were reported Sept. 26 from the Nord Stream pipelines following a series of underwater explosions. Nord Stream 1 and 2 are natural gas pipelines from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea.

Danish and Swedish authorities have been investigating the leak and Oct. 6 reported that they found evidence of “detonations … which have caused extensive damage to the gas pipelines.”

Although European authorities believe the pipelines were sabotaged by “state actors” on behalf of a foreign country, they have identified no suspects.

Russia and Western countries have traded blame for the leaks.

Norway’s military presence

Norwegian officials said the country deployed its soldiers to offshore oil and gas processing plants in the Baltic Sea out of an abundance of caution to increase security around the pipelines and to ease concerns among plant workers, Reuters reported.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said during a news conference that Britain, France and Germany will also help Norway patrol the area.

The increased military presence is unrelated to Biden, and Norway has made no public statements implying the U.S. caused the leaks.

Our ruling

A Facebook post claims Norway sent soldiers to guard the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea to protect them from the U.S. government following the discovery of leaks.

Norway did deploy its military to guard part of the pipeline network as a safety precaution. But it did not blame the U.S. for the leaks. Investigators have said they believe the leaks were the result of detonations and likely sabotage, but no suspects have been named.

We rate this claim False.

Truth-o-meter Ruling

False

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Norway sent its military to guard part of the Nord Stream pipeline network as a safety precaution following a series of leaks that European authorities believe were deliberately made.
Russia and Western countries have accused one another of sabotaging the pipelines.
An investigation into the leaks continues, and no suspect has been named.