Russia suggests that Sweden has “something to hide” in the Nord Stream explosives probe
(Reuters) – Russia on Thursday questioned whether Sweden had “something to hide” over explosions that damaged Nord Stream gas pipelines last year, as it criticized Stockholm for not sharing information in ongoing investigations into the blasts.
Swedish and Danish authorities are investigating four holes in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines that link Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea and have become a flashpoint in the Ukraine crisis.
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Sweden’s refusal to cooperate with Russian prosecutors was “puzzling” and said Moscow had a right to know the details of the investigation into the explosions, which happened last September.
Moscow suggested Stockholm establish a joint investigation into the explosions, which could lead to three of the four lines of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas projects being permanently taken out of service. But both Sweden and Denmark have rejected the idea of Russian participation.
At a briefing in Moscow on Thursday, Zakharova suggested there were reasons for that decision.
“Perhaps Russian investigators, conducting an objective investigation, may come to an uncomfortable conclusion … about who carried out this act of sabotage, terrorism. About who came up with it and who carried it out,” she told reporters.
Zakharova said that Sweden is “hiding” the facts of what it discovered in the investigation, suggesting that “the Swedish authorities have something to hide”.
Sweden and other European investigators say the attacks were carried out deliberately, but they have not said who they believe was responsible. Moscow, without providing evidence, has blamed the explosions on Western sabotage.
Construction of Nord Stream 2, designed to transport Russian gas to Germany, was completed in September 2021, but never went into operation after Berlin canceled certification just days before Moscow sent its troops to Ukraine in February.
(Reporting by ReutersEditing by Gareth Jones)