Ukraine live briefing: West condemns staged referendums, calls Nord Stream explosions ‘deliberate act’

The explosions that damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, causing leaks into the Baltic Sea, appear to be the “result of a deliberate act,” the European Union said Wednesday. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said investigations are underway into what she called “sabotage action,” vowing that deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure would “lead to the strongest possible response.”