Saboteurs Blasted Nord Stream, Sweden Affirms

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline was damaged in a series of explosions in September, a prosecutor in Sweden said, adding explosives remains were found on the damaged pipeline, Deutsche Welle reported.

Photo Insert: The blasts, which occurred in September hours after a Baltic pipeline from Norway to Poland was opened, stopped the possibility of gas flowing from Russia to Germany through the pipeline.

In a statement, the Swedish Security Service said "it is a case of serious sabotage," adding, "the extensive damage to the gas lines as a result of the detonations have been extensively documented," Reuters and Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) also reported.

The blasts, which occurred in September hours after a Baltic pipeline from Norway to Poland was opened, stopped the possibility of gas flowing from Russia to Germany through the pipeline.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz halted his country's involvement in the pipeline, long opposed by Baltic and Nordic countries, following Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine.

The Swedish Security Service reported that "during analyzes carried out, residues of explosives have been identified on several of the foreign objects seized." State prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist also said traces of explosives were found on several foreign objects.

Swedish authorities stopped short of assigning blame to any individuals or nation-state. Last month, Denmark said a preliminary investigation showed the pipeline had been damaged by powerful explosions.

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