Swedish authorities reported on Friday that investigations into leaks in the Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea, discovered in September, made it possible to find “traces of explosives”, confirming the claim that the gas pipeline was the target of an attack “for obvious sabotage”. Swedish prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist, who is investigating the incident, explained in detail in a statement from his office that “the analyzes carried out show traces of explosives on several found objects”. “Advanced analytical work continues to draw more decisive conclusions about the incident,” the prosecutor added.
The governments of Denmark and Sweden reported on Sept. 27 that the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, infrastructure used to transport gas from northwest Russia to Germany, suffered damage and leaks in their territorial waters. A day earlier, seismometers on the Danish island of Bornholm detected two explosions in the area. The two infrastructures were already out of service at that time.
Nord Stream 1 has not carried gas since late August after Russia claimed an oil leak at the only remaining operational Russian compressor station. Nord Stream 2 was never commissioned. Germany suspended its certification last February, days before Russia began invading Ukraine, in response to Putin’s recognition of the independence of pro-Russian breakaway regions.
“The cooperation with the authorities in Sweden and other countries has worked very well. In view of the work ahead as part of the preliminary investigation and ongoing collaboration, it is important that we can work in peace,” Ljungqvist emphasized.
Sweden’s security service said on Oct. 6 that an investigation showed damage was caused by “explosions”, underlining that this “reinforces the suspicion of serious sabotage”. For example, he explained that the aim is to determine whether there are suspicions against certain individuals in order to prosecute them, emphasizing that what happened is “very serious”.
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Nord Stream’s operating company, Nord Stream AG, said after the September events that the damage to three of the pipelines was “unprecedented”, following a gas leak in one of the sections of Nord Stream 2 and a loss of pressure in the Nord Stream Gas Pipeline Nord Stream 1 Authorities in Germany, Denmark and Sweden have excluded Russia from investigating the incident, prompting a formal protest from Moscow, which warned it is the result of a report admitting it did not take part.
The discovery of the leaks prompted the energy and gas industries in Denmark and Sweden to raise alert levels for their assets, as did neighboring Norway, despite having no coastline on the Baltic Sea, including a military presence. Both the affected countries and the rest of the European Union, the US and Russia speak of sabotage, but differ on the possible authorship. Moscow accuses “Anglo-Saxon” countries of being behind it, citing Washington’s years of opposition to the project.
Source: La Neta Neta
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
