The Swedish public prosecutor's office considered that the matter did not fall within its jurisdiction.
The latter announced this Wednesday that it would close its investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022. “The conclusion of the investigation is that it is not within the jurisdiction of Swedish jurisdiction and that the investigation must therefore be closed,” said Swedish prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist in a press release, specifying that he had shared the elements of his investigation with the German judicial authorities.
“There is no indication that Sweden or Swedish citizens were involved in this attack which took place in international waters,” he adds.
Four huge gas leaks preceded by underwater explosions occurred on September 26, 2022 a few hours apart on Nord Stream 1 and 2, pipelines connecting Russia to Germany and transporting most of Russian gas to the 'Europe.
Three investigations had been opened, in Germany, Sweden and Denmark.
The Swedish investigation is the first to be completed.
A “state behind” sabotage?
The “main hypothesis is that a state is behind” the sabotage, Swedish prosecutor Ljungqvist said in April 2023, adding that its authors knew “very well that they would leave traces”.
Judicial cooperation with Denmark and Germany has been “good”, underlined the prosecutor this Wednesday.
“As part of this legal cooperation, we were able to hand over documents that can be used as evidence in the German investigation,” added Mats Ljungqvist.
Also read: Nord Stream: boat searched, defense of kyiv… what we know about the sabotage of Russian gas pipelines
In a separate statement, Swedish intelligence said the investigation was opened "to determine whether the sabotage was aimed at Sweden and thus threatened the country's security, and it was established that this was not the case." ".
Responsibility for the explosions was attributed, according to different media investigations, to Ukraine, Russia or the United States, but all denied it.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in particular, has repeatedly denied that his country could be involved.
“I would never do that,” he told German daily Bild last June, adding that he “would like to see proof.”