Prosecutors confirm sabotage at Nord Stream
Nord Stream was subjected to gross sabotage, the prosecutor confirms in a press release. Explosives have been found on several foreign objects.
Chamber prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist, who leads the ongoing preliminary investigation into the detonations at the gas pipelines Nord Stream 1 and 2, states that the incident is gross sabotage:
– During the crime scene investigations carried out on site in the Baltic Sea, extensive seizures were made and the area has been thoroughly documented. Analyzes that have now been carried out show traces of explosives on several of the foreign objects that were found. The advanced analysis work continues to be able to draw safer conclusions about the incident, he says in a press release.
Excellent cooperation
– The cooperation with authorities in Sweden and in other countries works excellently. For the continued work with the preliminary investigation and for the various collaborations that are going on, it is important that we can work in peace and quiet, says the prosecutor further.
The leak on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea was discovered at the end of September. Two of the four leaks are in the Swedish economic zone, northeast of Bornholm, the others in the Danish economic zone.
Both Swedish and Danish seismic measurements show that explosions took place in the sea a few hours before the respective leak was discovered.
The area was cordoned off
On October 3, prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist decided for the first time to cordon off the area around the Nord Stream leaks, in order to conduct a crime scene investigation. A few days later, the blockades were lifted and the announcement was that the suspicions of gross sabotage had been strengthened after the investigations.
Nord Stream 1, inaugurated in 2011, is owned by the consortium Nord Stream AG, which in turn is jointly owned by several European energy companies, but the Russian gas giant Gazprom owns 51 percent of the pipeline.
Nord Stream 2 is owned by a company that is completely under Gazprom’s control. The line was completed last fall but has not been put into use due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Russia has accused Western countries, specifically Britain, of being behind the explosions.
A total of four leaks have been discovered on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines that run from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea.
The leak in Nord Stream 2 occurred during the night of September 26. On September 27, it was discovered that Nord Stream 1 was also leaking. The next day, another leak was announced.
Two of the leaks are in the Swedish economic zone, northeast of Bornholm, and two in the Danish economic zone, southeast of Bornholm. Countries’ economic zone is not the same as territorial waters.
Both Swedish and Danish seismic measurements show that explosions took place in the sea a few hours before the respective leak was discovered.
Authorities and assessors in several countries early on leaned towards the fact that these were deliberate attacks.
On November 18, Swedish prosecutors confirmed that the lines had been subjected to serious sabotage.
TT
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