Swedish authorities claimed Thursday that they had evidence of explosions at the Nord Stream I/ II gas pipeline site. This evidence supports the suspicion that the explosions were intentional.
According to the Washington Examiner, the Swedish Security Service stated in a statement that the pipelines had suffered “extensive damage”. The statement stated that the Swedish Security Service could conclude after completing the crime scene investigation that there were detonations at Nord Stream 1 or 2 in the Swedish Economic Zone.
The statement said that “continued preliminary investigations must show whether someone is capable of being served with suspicion, and then prosecuted.” The Washington Examiner reported that material from the gas leak site was retrieved and will now be examined for evidence. According to the Swedish authorities, the evidence “increased the suspicions about gross sabotage.”
The leaks are being investigated by German, Swedish and Danish authorities. Russia, however, was not reportedly asked to participate in the investigation. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, said that there is no plan to ask Russia to join the investigation.
While the European Union believes that the Nord Stream damages were caused by sabotage, it has not yet commented on a possible culprit. This is pending further investigation. Washington Examiner reported that leaders said last week they expected a united response from the European Union to deliberate sabotage.
Russian President Vladimir Putin already blames the West for the damage to the pipeline. He said that the sanctions did not suffice for the Anglo-Saxons and they turned to sabotage. “It is difficult to believe, but it is a fact they organized the blasts on Nord Stream international gasoline pipelines.” The U.S. President Joe Biden responded by accusing Putin of spreading “disinformations and lies.” Biden also described the Nord Stream damage as “a deliberate act destabilizing.”
