Investigators found traces of explosives on the wreckage of the exploding Nord Stream pipeline. According to the Swedish authorities, this is evidence that the September bombings included acts of sabotage.
The Nord Stream 1 pipeline was used until a few months ago to transport gas from Russia to Germany. For many years it was the main method of supplying gas to the Germans. The pipeline is located in the Baltic Sea and partially passes through Swedish waters.
In September, several explosions were recorded in quick succession, after which the gas erupted for several days. Soon the authorities said that there was vandalism. This theory has now been confirmed after traces of explosives have been found.
Investigations by the Swedish authorities are still ongoing. They hope to get more clarity on who placed the explosives. Sure enough, the explosions were powerful. The wreckage was scattered over several hundred meters on the sea floor.
At the time of the explosions, Nord Stream was not in use due to maintenance. It seems unlikely that the pipeline will ever be used again. The damage is enormous and Western Europe also wants to reduce its dependence on Russian gas as soon as possible.
At the same time as the explosions in Nord Stream 1, there were explosions in Nord Stream 2. This new pipeline has not been commissioned because the European Union and Germany have not issued the necessary permits.
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