Explosions on pipelines
Denmark is the second country to close its Nord Stream investigation
The Nord Stream 1 gas leak in the Baltic Sea, photographed by a satellite
© -/ESA / DPA
The explosions on the Nord Stream Baltic Sea pipeline in 2022 have led to wild speculation about the perpetrator or perpetrators. Danish investigators have now concluded that there is no sufficient basis for charges.
After the spectacular explosions on the two of them Nord Stream pipelines between Russia and Germany in the Baltic Sea, several states have initiated investigations against the possible perpetrators, including Germany.
In Denmark, the police and the domestic intelligence service PET have now stopped their joint investigation. “There is no basis for criminal proceedings in Denmark in connection with the demolitions of Nord Stream 1 and 2,” police wrote in a statement on Monday Press release. “The criminal investigations will therefore be discontinued.”
Investigators: Sabotage of Nord Stream pipelines was intentionally committed
The Danish police and PET had been looking for the possible perpetrators together with partners abroad since the explosions in September 2022. According to the company, the investigation was “complex and extensive”.
“Based on the investigation, the authorities can conclude that the sabotage of the gas pipelines was committed intentionally. At the same time, they have come to the conclusion that there is no sufficient basis for criminal proceedings in Denmark,” said investigators.
However, the domestic secret service PET continues to monitor the development of the threat situation and, together with other authorities, takes measures that are deemed necessary to protect Denmark’s critical infrastructure.
Sweden stopped investigating, Germany continues
At the beginning of February, Sweden, which had also begun investigations into the Nord Stream explosions, stopped its investigations. It was concluded that Swedish jurisdiction did not apply in this case and there was therefore no longer any reason to continue the investigation, said investigating public prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist.
On September 26, 2022, several explosions were registered near the Danish Baltic Sea island of Bornholm and shortly afterwards four leaks were discovered in three of the four Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. All spills occurred in international waters, with two each in the exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Denmark. Investigations were then initiated in both Scandinavian countries and in Germany.
Ljungqvist, like his Danish colleagues, concluded that the leaks were the result of serious sabotage. Shortly after the leaks were discovered, sabotage was suspected. It is still unclear who is responsible for this.
Germany is continuing to investigate the case. “The German investigation continues,” Ljungqvist clarified earlier this month. Sweden was able to hand over material “that can be used as evidence in the German investigation,” he explained. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office also announced at the time that the investigation was continuing on the German side.