FACT CHECK: Did Norway Send Its Military To Counter Joe Biden?

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

A video shared on Facebook purports Norway had dispatched military units to “counter President Joe Biden.”

Verdict: False

The Norwegian military was sent to protect their economic assets, not to counter Biden.

Fact Check:

The Nord Stream pipeline, which transports gas from Russia to Europe, was discovered to have been “extensively damaged” and was leaking gas, according to CNBC. The Swedish government has stated that their investigation strengthened its suspicion that the leaks were a result of sabotage, the outlet reported.

The Facebook video claims that “Norway readies its military to counter Biden.” (RELATED: Does This Video Show A Russian Fighter Jet Being Shot Down In Ukraine?)

There is no evidence that Norway dispatched its military to “counter” Biden. The Norwegian military deployed troops to defend oil and gas plants in the aftermath of the Nord Stream leaks amid the suspected sabotage at the Nord Stream pipelines, according to Reuters. Other countries, such as France and Germany, are also helping Norway patrol the areas around its gas and oil platforms, the outlet reported.

While the Norwegian Ministry of Defense stated in a Sept. 30 press release that all evidence pointed to the Nord Stream leaks being a “a deliberate act of sabotage close to the national borders of Denmark and Sweden” it has not assigned blame to any one country.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a Sept. 28 press briefing that the “idea that the United States was in any way involved in the apparent sabotage of these pipelines is preposterous” and the claim was “Russian disinformation.”

This is not the first time misinformation regarding European affairs in the Ukrainian conflict has circulated on social media. Check Your Fact previously debunked a claim suggesting Russia had “conquered” two countries in Europe.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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