Sweden concludes Nord Stream sabotage probe, transfers evidence to Germany

• The investigation concluded that authorities should close the investigation.
• Swedish investigators confirmed that traces of explosives found on the site indicated sabotage.
• Sweden, Denmark, and Germany initiated separate investigations into the blasts.

On Wednesday, Swedish prosecutors announced their decision to drop the investigation into explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines. They will transfer the evidence uncovered during the probe to German investigators.

“The investigation concludes that Swedish jurisdiction does not apply and that the investigation therefore should be closed,” the Swedish Prosecution Authority said in a statement.

Powerful explosions ruptured the multi-billion-dollar Nord Stream pipelines, which transport Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea, in the Swedish and Danish economic zones in September 2022. The blasts released vast amounts of methane into the air.

Danish police stated that the pipelines sustained the damage from these powerful explosions. Swedish investigators confirmed that traces of explosives found on the site conclusively indicated sabotage. Sweden, Denmark, and Germany initiated separate investigations into the Nord Stream blasts, each tightly controlling information. The Danish and German probes are still ongoing.

“Within the framework of this legal cooperation, we have been able to hand over material that can be used as evidence in the German investigation,” the Swedish prosecution authority said.

Swedish citizens in the attack:

After conducting an extensive investigation, Swedish prosecutors concluded that nothing had emerged to indicate the involvement of Sweden or Swedish citizens in the attack, which occurred “in international waters.”

“Against the background of the situation we now have, we can state that Swedish jurisdiction does not apply,” the Public Prosecutor said in a statement.

Russia has accused the United States, Britain, and Ukraine of being responsible for the blasts, which largely severed its access to the lucrative European market. However, those countries have denied involvement. If neither of the remaining investigations yields conclusive evidence, the mystery surrounding one of modern history’s most significant acts of infrastructure sabotage could remain unsolved.

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