Denmark Fears Conducting Investigation with Russia into Nord Stream Blasts: Envoy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Denmark may fear that in the event of a joint investigation into the attacks on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, Russia will find out the circumstances that could harm Danish-US cooperation or Danish arms supplies to Ukraine, Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin said.
The ambassador told Sputnik that there is still no cooperation in the investigation of explosions on gas pipelines between Denmark and Russia. Barbin added that the Danish prosecutor's office explains the reluctance to interact with the Russian side by the fact that fulfilling Russia's requests for legal assistance "could jeopardize the national security of Denmark."
"In the context of the various and contradictory versions discussed in the media about the possible organizers of sabotage, this motivation raises many questions. Does this position of the Danish prosecutor’s office express fears in Copenhagen that the Russian side may find out something that will create risks for Denmark’s cooperation with the United States in the security sphere or Denmark's supply of weapons to Ukraine? Perhaps this is the reason for the total secrecy of the investigation into the terrorist attack on the pan-European energy infrastructure that took place a year ago?" Barbin stated.
The Nord Stream pipelines, built to deliver gas under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, were hit by explosions in September 2022. The pipeline's operator, Nord Stream AG, said that the damage was unprecedented and it was impossible to estimate the time repairs might take.
Denmark, Germany and Norway have left Russia out of their investigations into the attack, prompting Moscow to launch its own investigation with charges of international terrorism.
No official results of the investigations have yet been announced, but Pulitzer Prize-winning US investigative journalist Seymour Hersh published a report in February 2023 alleging that the explosions had been organized by the United States with the support of Norway. Washington has denied any involvement in the incident.
In mid-July, media reported that Dutch military intelligence had informed the CIA of Ukraine's plans to sabotage the Nord Stream pipelines months before it happened.