Sweden’s National Seismic Network said on Tuesday it recorded two explosions near mysterious leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which raised concerns of sabotage.
Why is this important: The Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, crucial for bringing Russian natural gas to Germany, were at the heart of the energy crisis that enveloped Europe following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- While Nord Stream 2 did not enter commercial operation – its certification was halted on the eve of the invasion – Nord Stream 1 provided a crucial route for Russian gas to reach Europe until earlier this month. , when Russia shut down the pipeline due to maintenance issues.
The last: “The United States supports investigative efforts and we will continue our work to safeguard Europe’s energy security,” the White House national security adviser said. Jake Sullivan said Tuesday evening, noting that he had also spoken with his Danish counterpart Jean-Charles Ellermann-Kingombe.
The big picture: Two leaks were detected in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline and one in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Although neither pipe was working when the leaks were discovered, both were full of gas, Reuters noted.
- An explosion occurred early Monday and a second later in the day, public broadcaster SVT reported, according to Reuters.
Enlarge: Nord Stream AG confirmed in a statement that “the Nord Stream 1 control center has recorded a pressure drop on both strings of the pipeline”, adding that an investigation is ongoing.
- The Swedish Maritime Authority has issued a warning for ships to keep a distance of five nautical miles from the sites of the leaks, which were recorded near the Danish island of Bornholm.
- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she “cannot rule out” sabotage. The country’s maritime authority echoed Sweden’s warning, noting that ships could lose buoyancy if they come near the leaks and that there remains a risk of leaking gas igniting at the surface of the water and in the air, according to AP.
- Bjorn Lund, a seismologist at Sweden’s National Seismological Center SVT, “there is no doubt that these were explosions,” reports Reuters.
What they say : Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that the leaks were concerning and acknowledged the possibility of sabotage along the pipeline. “No options can be ruled out at this time,” he said, according to Reuters.
- “It is still too early to conclude, but it is an extraordinary situation. There are three leaks, and it is therefore difficult to imagine that it could be accidental,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday, reported the Financial Times.
Editor’s Note: This article has been corrected to note that the leaks began on Monday, not Thursday.
This story has been updated with new details about the explosions recorded by Sweden’s National Seismology Center and with comments from White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.