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Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announcing the first findings: »No attack on Denmark«
Photo:
Emil Helms/EPA
According to the Danish government, the gas leaks in the Baltic Sea pipelines Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 are not due to an accident.
The authorities had come to the clear assessment that the acts were intentional and not an accident, said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Tuesday evening.
Several explosions were observed within a short period of time.
There is still no information about who is behind it.
The incidents occurred in international waters in the exclusive economic zones of Denmark and Sweden off the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm, Frederiksen said.
It was not an attack on Denmark, she said when asked whether it was an act of war against her country.
Lines at a depth of 70 to 80 meters
Climate and Energy Minister Dan Jørgensen confirmed previous information from geologists that there was an explosion on Nord Stream 2 southeast of Bornholm at 2:03 a.m. on Monday and another at Nord Stream 1 northeast of the island at 7:03 p.m.
The gas lines lie at a water depth of 70 to 80 meters and are made of steel and concrete.
The size of the leaks indicates that it cannot be an accident involving a ship's anchor.
According to the Swedish government, the leaks are probably due to sabotage.
The information is still incomplete, but two explosions have been identified that caused three leaks, Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said at a press conference in Stockholm on Tuesday evening.
Based on Swedish and Danish information, the conclusion is that it was probably an intentional act.
"So it's probably a question of sabotage," she said.
They work closely with Germany and the USA, among others.
She spoke to Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the evening.
The EU was also informed.
It is not an attack against Sweden.
Sweden's Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist said it was ready to allocate military resources as needed.
Sol/dpa/Reuters
