German justice has decided to open an investigation after the recent leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, in addition to the investigations underway in Sweden and Denmark, the federal prosecutor's office said on Monday, October 10, while Stockholm has, at the same time, refused to give Moscow access to its investigation.
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German investigators suspect "
an intentionally caused explosion and sabotage
", said the prosecutor's office in Karlsruhe (Germany), without naming an alleged perpetrator.
"
There are enough indications to say that the two gas pipelines were deliberately damaged by means of at least two detonations
", adds the federal prosecutor's office, in charge of the most sensitive cases.
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The Nord Stream gas pipelines were strategic facilities for the direct delivery of Russian gas to Germany, to which they are connected.
The sabotage hypothesis is favored by the Swedish prosecutor's office, which opened an investigation a few days after the occurrence of the leaks, caused by two explosions of unknown origin on September 26.
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Sweden denies access to Moscow
This Monday, Stockholm also refused to give Russia access to its investigation, suggesting that Moscow conduct its own investigation on the spot in the Baltic Sea.
“
In Sweden, the preliminary investigations are confidential, and this is obviously the case in this file
”, declared the resigning Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, during a press conference.
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Sweden had banned access to a perimeter last week for the purposes of its own investigation.
"
Now we have lifted this blockade and it is possible for other ships to go to the area
," said Magdalena Andersson, adding that to her knowledge Moscow had not yet inspected the places of the leaks, located at the off the Danish island of Bornholm in the southern Baltic Sea.
Exhibits were taken during initial inspections by Swedish investigators and "
are currently being analyzed in our laboratories
", she said.
The explosions that affected Nord Stream took place outside territorial waters, but in the exclusive economic zones of Sweden and Denmark.
Berlin, Stockholm and Copenhagen had already announced the formation of a joint investigation unit.
The German Federal Prosecutor's Office is joining the investigations because "
this is a particularly violent attack on the country's energy supply, which weakens its internal and external security
".
For technical reasons, the gas pipelines, which were not in operation, were filled with methane and the latter spilled in large quantities into the Baltic.
Russia rejects all responsibility
Russia, to which all eyes have turned, denies any responsibility, pointing to the United States which has in turn denied any responsibility.
Moscow had demanded Wednesday to participate in the investigation into the leaks of the two gas pipelines.
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On the Danish side, the head of diplomacy Jeppe Kofod said on September 28 that he had "
informed Russia
" of the beginnings of his country's investigation.
“
But we have no desire to talk to Russia.
We want to get to the bottom of things, and we do it with our allies
,” he said.
On Friday, the Russian Embassy complained that it was not associated with the investigation, judging that “
the Danish side's reluctance to involve Russian representatives in the ongoing investigation undermines its credibility
”.