The Ukrainian saboteurs who allegedly blew up the "Nord Stream" and "Nord Stream 2" pipelines expected the CIA to pay for the operation, but in the end the money was provided by a private Ukrainian "sponsor", according to Der Spiegel.
According to the magazine, American agents initially discussed the plans to blow up the pipelines with the Ukrainians and did not object. It was not until early summer 2022 that the Americans allegedly informed the participants in the operation that they opposed the plan and would not be able to provide them with funding. No justification was provided for this decision, the magazine writes.
As a result, the operation was financed by a private “sponsor“ from Ukraine. He allocated 300,000 USD to cover the costs of equipment, yacht rental and the purchase of explosives, sources told the magazine.