'Gross sabotage': Nord Stream investigation finds evidence of detonations, Swedish police say
India Today
Swedish and Danish authorities have been investigating four leaks from the pipelines in Swedish and Danish exclusive economic zones in the Baltic Sea
A crime scene investigation of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines from Russia to Europe has strengthened suspicions of "gross sabotage" involving detonations, Sweden's Security Service said on Thursday.
Swedish and Danish authorities have been investigating four leaks from the pipelines in Swedish and Danish exclusive economic zones in the Baltic Sea since they were first spotted at the beginning of last week.
Europe, which is facing an energy crisis in the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, is investigating what caused the damage as Moscow seeks to pin the blame on the West, suggesting the United States stood to gain.
Washington denies any involvement as a stand-off between Russia and European countries continues over supplies of gas that have stopped flowing or been put on hold as a result of the conflict in Ukraine.
The Nord Stream operators said this week they were unable to inspect the damaged sections because of restrictions imposed by Danish and Swedish authorities who had cordoned off the area.
"After completing the crime scene investigation, the Swedish Security Service can conclude that there have been detonations at Nord Stream 1 and 2 in the Swedish economic zone," the Swedish Security Service said in a statement.
The security service said there was extensive damage to the gas pipelines and they had retrieved some material from the site that would now be analysed. The evidence "has strengthened the suspicions of gross sabotage", they said.
