Russian President Vladimir Putin said Germany’s response to the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions showed the country remains “occupied” and unable to act on its own decades after its surrender at the end of World War II, Reuters reported.

Putin also said in an interview with Russian television that European leaders were intimidated into losing their sense of sovereignty and independence.

Western countries, including Germany, have reacted cautiously to an investigation into last year’s Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions, saying they believe it was a deliberate act but refusing to say who they believe is responsible.

“The problem is that European politicians themselves publicly stated that after World War II, Germany was never a fully sovereign state,” Putin said, according to the Russian state broadcaster Rossiya-1.

“At some point, the Soviet Union withdrew its troops and ended what was an occupation of the country. But, as you know, this was not the case with the Americans. They continue the occupation of Germany.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that last year’s Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions were carried out at the “state level”, saying it was “complete nonsense” that an autonomous pro-Ukraine group was responsible.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius last week warned against jumping to conclusions after new information emerged about the Nord Stream gas pipeline explosions, with a Berlin official suggesting the attack may have been a “false flag” operation aimed at discrediting Ukraine.

Pistorius’ comments came after The New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing information verified by US officials, that explosions that disabled pipelines built to carry Russian gas to Germany may be behind pro-Ukrainian group.