Nord Stream leaks investigated
Russian sabotage of Baltic Sea pipelines “not verifiable”
2/4/2023 8:07 am
When explosions occurred on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines last September, Moscow quickly became a suspect. Now the investigators are making it clear: there is no evidence of this so far. Even in the case of the damaged train radio cable, the traces do not lead to Russia.
The German investigators currently have no evidence that Russia is behind the explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines. “This cannot be proven at the moment, the investigations are ongoing,” said Attorney General Peter Frank of the “Welt am Sonntag”. With the help of two research ships, water and soil samples as well as the remains of the pipelines were taken, and the crime scene was also comprehensively documented. “We are currently evaluating all of this forensically.”
At the end of September, a total of four leaks in the two pipelines were discovered after explosions near the Danish Baltic Sea island of Bornholm. The Swedish security authorities determined in November that it was serious sabotage – but without naming a culprit. Accordingly, explosive residues were detected. The pipelines were not operating at the time of the explosions but contained gas. The sites of the explosion are in international waters in the Exclusive Economic Zones of Denmark and Sweden. Both countries are conducting their own investigations. “But we are in contact,” said Frank.
Only a short time later, cables that were essential for the train radio system in Berlin and North Rhine-Westphalia were damaged. Rail traffic in large parts of northern Germany stood still for hours. The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office is also investigating these incidents on October 8th. Frank said in the interview that the investigation was not yet complete. “But what I can say is that the suspicion that this was a foreign act of sabotage has not yet been substantiated.”