‘Powerful explosions’ behind two Nord Stream gas pipeline leaks in Baltic Sea

A preliminary investigation of damage on the two Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Danish part of the Baltic Sea shows that the leaks were caused by “powerful explosions”, Copenhagen Police have said in a statement.

The force added that further investigation of the 26 September ruptures of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in Denmark’s exclusive economic zone would be handled jointly by Copenhagen Police and Denmark’s Security and Intelligence Service.

The Danish findings appeared to be similar to those of Swedish prosecutors, who said two other holes in the pipelines also seemed to have been caused by explosions and that the case was being investigated as an act of gross sabotage.

On Tuesday the Swedish newspaper Expressen has reported that a section measuring at least 50m (164ft) is missing from the ruptured Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea, after filming what it said were the first publicly released images of the damage.

Swedish and Danish authorities have been investigating four leaks in the pipelines, which link Russia and Germany via
the Baltic Sea and have become a flashpoint in the Ukraine crisis.

Expressen’s video, captured with a small remotely operated underwater vehicle, or subsea drone, showed bent metal and a wide-open pipeline in murky waters at the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

Parts of the pipeline appeared to have straight, sharp edges while others were deformed, showed the footage recorded at a depth of roughly 80 metres (262 feet).

The video was filmed on Monday, Expressen said.

Danish police could not say when the investigation is expected to be concluded.

“It is still too early to say anything about the framework under which the international cooperation with e.g. Sweden and Germany will run, as it depends on several factors,” Copenhagen Police said.

Photos and video footage showed bubbles rising to the surface of the seawater after the leaks last month.

World leaders have called the damages an act of sabotage and Moscow has sought to pin the blame on the West, suggesting the United States stood to gain. Washington has denied any involvement.