Traces of Explosives Found in Baltic Pipeline: Sweden

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HELSINKI — Investigators have found traces of explosives at a site in the Baltic Sea, where two natural pipelines were damaged in an act of “serious sabotage,” the prosecutor leading a preliminary Swedish investigation said Friday. I got

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Mats Ljungqvist of the Swedish Public Prosecutor’s Office said investigators had carefully documented the areas where the Nordstream 1 and 2 pipelines ruptured in September, causing massive methane leaks. A parallel subsea pipeline runs from Russia to Germany.

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“Analysis has shown evidence of explosives on some of the objects found,” Ljungqvist said in a statement.

Prosecutors said the preliminary investigation was “extremely complex and comprehensive” and further scrutiny would reveal whether charges could be filed “on suspicion of a crime”.

Swedish, Danish and German investigators are investigating what happened. Danish officials confirmed in October that a “strong explosion” had caused major damage to the pipeline.

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The leak, which stopped after a few days, occurred on the high seas but within the exclusive economic zones of Denmark and Sweden. No, but we have previously reported that the explosion likely involved hundreds of pounds of explosives.

“It is very important to find the people behind the explosion,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday.

Peskov said the Swedish findings of “an act of sabotage or terrorism – you can call it whatever you like” confirm “information that the Russian side had.” Moscow will have to wait for a full damage assessment to decide whether to repair the pipeline, he said.

Nord Stream 1 carried Russian gas to Germany until Moscow cut supplies at the end of August. Nord Stream 2 never went into service because Germany suspended the certification process just before Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

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The governments of Denmark, Germany and Sweden have refrained from speculating as to who might be behind the sabotage, saying they still do not have enough evidence to identify the culprits.

However, some Nordic and other European media outlets have pointed to Moscow’s responsibility, and military experts say Russia has the ability to carry out such a precise attack that requires careful pre-planning. It suggests that you have all the resources.

International Energy Agency Director-General Fatih Birol said in late September that it was “very clear” who was responsible for the pipeline jamming, implying Russia’s involvement.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the West of blowing up pipelines and said the United States is profiting from attacks on Europe’s energy infrastructure.

Earlier this week, Germany marked the completion of the port facility, the first of five planned liquefied natural gas terminals that are rushing into operation to replace Russian pipeline gas that once accounted for more than half of its supply.