26 February 2024; AA: Denmark on Monday closed its investigation into the 2022 Nord Stream blasts, saying there was a "deliberate sabotage" but no "sufficient grounds" to pursue a criminal case.
The joint investigation was conducted by Copenhagen Police and the Danish Security and Intelligence Services (PET).
"The investigation has led the authorities to conclude that there was deliberate sabotage of the gas pipelines. However, the assessment is that there is not the sufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case in Denmark," the police said in a statement.
"Therefore, the Copenhagen Police has decided to conclude the criminal investigation of the explosions."
The press release described the investigation as "complex and comprehensive," saying the Danish authorities "cooperated with relevant foreign partners" throughout.
Russia said Denmark’s decision to conclude the investigation is “close to absurd.”
“Of course, the situation is close to absurd. On the one hand, they recognize this is a deliberate sabotage took place, while on the other they are not moving forward," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing in Moscow.
In September 2022, underwater explosions targeted the Nord Stream 1 and the newly built Nord Stream 2 pipelines, which delivered Russian natural gas to Germany and the European region through the Baltic Sea. Moscow accused the West, particularly the US, of being directly involved in the blasts. It called for a UN-led international investigation into the likely sabotage, but the request was rejected.
Earlier this month, Sweden also closed its probe, saying the case did not fall under its jurisdiction.
