Swedish investigators confirmed on Friday that the blasts that destroyed parts of Nord Stream’s pipelines in September were acts of sabotage, intended to damage the pipelines that transport natural gas from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.
Investigators found traces of explosives on several foreign objects at the blast sites near Sweden and Denmark, Stockholm prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said in a statement.
Ljungqvist, who is leading the preliminary investigation, added that technical analyzes are underway to “draw safer conclusions about the incident”.
Sweden’s public prosecutor’s office said the “continued investigation will show whether anyone can be formally suspected of a crime”.
Four major leaks were discovered along Nord Stream’s two pipelines off the Danish island of Bornholm in late September, with seismic institutes recording two underwater explosions shortly before the damage.
Investigators had already said that preliminary inspections had reinforced suspicions of sabotage.
Pipelines under geopolitical pressure
In late October, Nord Stream sent a Russian-flagged civilian vessel to inspect the damage.
The pipelines, which connect Russia to Germany, have been at the center of geopolitical tensions as Russia cuts gas supplies to Europe in the wake of EU sanctions against Moscow over the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has accused Britain of involvement in the blasts, a claim dismissed as “false on an epic scale” by authorities in London.
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The pipelines were not in operation when the leaks occurred. The gas seen rising to the surface of the Baltic Sea after the explosions was static residual, left in the system after the gas transfer was stopped.
Washington and Moscow have both denied any involvement in the sabotage.
Source: sn.dk