<p>On September 26 of last year, a series of explosions that severely damaged Nord Stream pipelines shook the world, throwing Russia’s energy ties with Europe into jeopardy.</p>

<p>Now, scientists investigating the explosions have unveiled key details to the Guardian, putting light on events that still remain unresolved.</p>

<p>According to the details, after two initial explosions that damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, additional explosions took place in an area north-east of the Danish Baltic island of Bornholm.</p>

<p>According to seismologists at Norway’s data centre Norsar, they found traces of four explosions in total. One of them took place in south-east of Bornholm and three in north-east of the island.</p>

<p>The explosions resulted in damage to both Nord Stream 1 pipelines and one of the Nord Stream 2 pipelines. Swedish investigators confirmed last November that these breaches were a result of man-made explosives.</p>

<h2><strong>Ukraine-based groups involved</strong></h2>

<p>Ongoing investigations indicate that either a Ukrainian-backed group or a pro-Ukrainian group operating “independently” of Kyiv's leadership carried out the attacks, according to statements from officials in the US and Germany.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Environmental impact of Nord stream leaks</strong></p>

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<p>German investigators have focused their attention on a 51-foot rental yacht named the Andromeda, chartered by a mysterious crew consisting of five men and one woman, some of whom were using false passports.</p>

<p>According to German media, all evidence point to Kyiv’s involvement only. But obvious doubts emerge as it still deems unbelievable that a small crew of six people managed to blow up the pipelines which may have required challenging tasks, including deep and slow dives.</p>

<h2><strong>Prior intel was available</strong></h2>

<p>A leaked US defence document, as reported by the Washington Post, revealed that the CIA had received information in June 2022 from a European ally about a plan by six members of Ukraine's special operations forces to rent a boat and use a submersible vehicle for underwater activities aimed at sabotaging the pipelines. However, the document noted that this planned operation had been put on hold.</p>

<p>Some reports also emerged in Scandinavian media suggesting the presence of Russian ships with deactivated transponders near the blast sites in the days preceding the explosions.</p>

<h2><strong>About Nord Stream pipelines</strong></h2>

<p>It's worth noting that the Nord Stream pipelines are managed by two companies, Nord Stream AG and Nord Stream 2 AG, both predominantly owned by the Russian state energy firm Gazprom.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Nord Stream 1 has been operational since 2012, Nord Stream 2 was completed in September 2021 but has yet to transport any gas. Controversy has surrounded Nord Stream 2 right from the beginning, with strong opposition from German allies, particularly the US and Poland, who were concerned about Europe's reliance on Russian energy supplies.</p>

<h2><strong>UN investigation</strong></h2>

<p>In July, the UN Security Council received a report stating that investigators had detected underwater explosives in samples taken from a yacht. However, they failed to establish the identities or motivations of the individuals responsible or whether a specific nation was behind the incident.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scientists-reveal-crucial-discoveries-about-nord-stream-pipeline-blasts-heres-what-they-found-640086"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Scientists reveal crucial discoveries about Nord Stream pipeline blasts. Here`s what they found</strong></a></p>

<p>To shed light on the situation, seismologists harnessed data from various seismic stations in northern Europe and Germany, including the Swedish National Seismic Network and the Danish stations located on Bornholm. Employing sophisticated analytical methods, they were able to locate two additional explosions.</p>

<p>According to their calculations, the second and third detonations, referred to as NA and NB, were situated approximately 220 meters apart, with the third explosion occurring to the west of the second. Furthermore, the fourth explosion was located several kilometres southwest of the second blast.</p>

<h2><strong>Accusations by Russia</strong></h2>

<p>Russia upholds that the sabotage was carried out by agents of the US and Ukraine. "They are involved, one way or another, in this terrorist attack," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a regular news briefing in response to a question about the September 2022 blasts, without providing any evidence.</p>

<p>As per international law, the act of sabotaging the pipelines would amount to an illegal act since the Nord Stream pipeline is a civilian infrastructure project. According to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, destroying civilian infrastructure is not only a violation of international law, but a war crime.</p>

<h2><strong>What next?</strong></h2>

<p>Swedish investigators say that they hope to conclude the ongoing investigation into the sabotage by year-end. According to a prosecutor quoted by Reuters, once the investigation is done, it will be decided whether to bring any charges or not.</p>

<p>"We hope to conclude the investigation shortly but there is still a lot to do and nothing will happen for the next four weeks," Mats Ljungqvist said in an interview.</p>

<p>"By conclude, I mean that we close the investigation or take a decision to bring charges against someone," he said, adding that the ambition was to reach a decision before the end of the year.<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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On September 26 of last year, a series of explosions that severely damaged Nord Stream pipelines shook the world, throwing Russia’s energy ties with Europe into jeopardy.

On September 26 of last year, a series of explosions that severely damaged Nord Stream pipelines shook the world, throwing Russia’s energy ties with Europe into jeopardy. Now, scientists investigating the explosions have unveiled key details to the Guardian, putting light on events that still remain unresolved. According to the details, after two initial explosions that damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, additional explosions took place in an area north-east of the Danish Baltic island of Bornholm. According to seismologists at Norway’s data centre Norsar, they found traces of four explosions in total. One of them took place in south-east of Bornholm and three in north-east of the island. The explosions resulted in damage to both Nord Stream 1 pipelines and one of the Nord Stream 2 pipelines. Swedish investigators confirmed last November that these breaches were a result of man-made explosives. Ukraine-based groups involved Ongoing investigations indicate that either a Ukrainian-backed group or a pro-Ukrainian group operating “independently” of Kyiv's leadership carried out the attacks, according to statements from officials in the US and Germany. Watch: Environmental impact of Nord stream leaks × German investigators have focused their attention on a 51-foot rental yacht named the Andromeda, chartered by a mysterious crew consisting of five men and one woman, some of whom were using false passports. According to German media, all evidence point to Kyiv’s involvement only. But obvious doubts emerge as it still deems unbelievable that a small crew of six people managed to blow up the pipelines which may have required challenging tasks, including deep and slow dives. Prior intel was available A leaked US defence document, as reported by the Washington Post, revealed that the CIA had received information in June 2022 from a European ally about a plan by six members of Ukraine's special operations forces to rent a boat and use a submersible vehicle for underwater activities aimed at sabotaging the pipelines. However, the document noted that this planned operation had been put on hold. Some reports also emerged in Scandinavian media suggesting the presence of Russian ships with deactivated transponders near the blast sites in the days preceding the explosions. About Nord Stream pipelines It's worth noting that the Nord Stream pipelines are managed by two companies, Nord Stream AG and Nord Stream 2 AG, both predominantly owned by the Russian state energy firm Gazprom. While Nord Stream 1 has been operational since 2012, Nord Stream 2 was completed in September 2021 but has yet to transport any gas. Controversy has surrounded Nord Stream 2 right from the beginning, with strong opposition from German allies, particularly the US and Poland, who were concerned about Europe's reliance on Russian energy supplies. UN investigation In July, the UN Security Council received a report stating that investigators had detected underwater explosives in samples taken from a yacht. However, they failed to establish the identities or motivations of the individuals responsible or whether a specific nation was behind the incident. Also read: Scientists reveal crucial discoveries about Nord Stream pipeline blasts. Here`s what they found To shed light on the situation, seismologists harnessed data from various seismic stations in northern Europe and Germany, including the Swedish National Seismic Network and the Danish stations located on Bornholm. Employing sophisticated analytical methods, they were able to locate two additional explosions. According to their calculations, the second and third detonations, referred to as NA and NB, were situated approximately 220 meters apart, with the third explosion occurring to the west of the second. Furthermore, the fourth explosion was located several kilometres southwest of the second blast. Accusations by Russia Russia upholds that the sabotage was carried out by agents of the US and Ukraine. "They are involved, one way or another, in this terrorist attack," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a regular news briefing in response to a question about the September 2022 blasts, without providing any evidence. As per international law, the act of sabotaging the pipelines would amount to an illegal act since the Nord Stream pipeline is a civilian infrastructure project. According to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, destroying civilian infrastructure is not only a violation of international law, but a war crime. What next? Swedish investigators say that they hope to conclude the ongoing investigation into the sabotage by year-end. According to a prosecutor quoted by Reuters, once the investigation is done, it will be decided whether to bring any charges or not. "We hope to conclude the investigation shortly but there is still a lot to do and nothing will happen for the next four weeks," Mats Ljungqvist said in an interview. "By conclude, I mean that we close the investigation or take a decision to bring charges against someone," he said, adding that the ambition was to reach a decision before the end of the year. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Explained | One year on, what we know about attackers who sabotaged Nord Stream pipelines

<p>A Danish newspaper has claimed quoting the Denmark military that a Russian Navy ship was spotted near the Nord Stream pipelines days before the September 2022 blasts.</p>

<p>Dagbladet Information newspaper on Thursday reported that the Russian submarine rescue ship, SS-750, was spotted in the Baltic Sea just four days before the unexplained explosions near the pipeline that linked Russia to Germany.</p>

<p>The paper quoting Danish defence authorities reported that as&nbsp;many as 26 images were taken of the ship, which carries a small submarine that is designed to carry out underwater operations.</p>

<p>“The Danish military confirmed that 26 photos of the Russian vessel were taken from a Danish patrol boat in the zone located east of Bornholm on 22 September 2022,” the newspaper said, adding that the photos were classified.</p>

<p>The prosecutor leading Sweden’s investigation into the sabotage has acknowledged the existence of these photographs.</p>

<p>“I’m aware of the information from before…This is not new information to us,” public prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said on Friday, AFP news agency reported.</p>

<p>He, however, did not divulge further on how the probing team intends to use these photographs for investigation, saying that it was “confidential".</p>

<h2><strong>Nord Stream blasts: Will do everything we can to stop western cover-up, says Russia</strong></h2>

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<p>Seven months have passed since the blasts and it has not yet been established who was responsible for it, despite criminal investigations launched by three countries—Germany, Sweden and Denmark—that border the pipeline.</p>

<p>Swedish and Danish authorities termed the blasts an act of deliberate sabotage. In November, Sweden’s Prosecution Authority claimed that residues of explosives and several “foreign objects” were found at the “crime scene” on the seabed, around 100 metres below the surface of the Baltic Sea, close to the Danish Island of Bornholm.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-russian-missile-strikes-kill-26-including-five-children-zelensky-vows-response-587174">Ukraine war: Russian missile strikes kill 26 including five children</a></p>

<p>In March, The New York Times reported that US intelligence officials have proof that a “pro-Ukrainian group” was responsible for the blasts, without the involvement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.</p>

<p>At that time Ljungqvist said it was “still unclear” who was behind the sabotage, calling it “a complex case”.<br />
<br />
“Our primary assumption is that a state is behind it,” he was quoted as saying.</p>

<p>Still, speculations about Russia's involvement haven't been completely ruled out. Last week,&nbsp;a joint investigation by Danish, Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian public broadcasters last week found that Russia has been using civilian vessels to collect intelligence on military activity and critical infrastructure in the North Sea, Politico reported.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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A Danish newspaper has claimed quoting the Denmark military that a Russian Navy ship was spotted near the Nord Stream pipelines days before the September 2022 blasts.

A Danish newspaper has claimed quoting the Denmark military that a Russian Navy ship was spotted near the Nord Stream pipelines days before the September 2022 blasts. Dagbladet Information newspaper on Thursday reported that the Russian submarine rescue ship, SS-750, was spotted in the Baltic Sea just four days before the unexplained explosions near the pipeline that linked Russia to Germany. The paper quoting Danish defence authorities reported that as many as 26 images were taken of the ship, which carries a small submarine that is designed to carry out underwater operations. “The Danish military confirmed that 26 photos of the Russian vessel were taken from a Danish patrol boat in the zone located east of Bornholm on 22 September 2022,” the newspaper said, adding that the photos were classified. The prosecutor leading Sweden’s investigation into the sabotage has acknowledged the existence of these photographs. “I’m aware of the information from before…This is not new information to us,” public prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said on Friday, AFP news agency reported. He, however, did not divulge further on how the probing team intends to use these photographs for investigation, saying that it was “confidential". Nord Stream blasts: Will do everything we can to stop western cover-up, says Russia Seven months have passed since the blasts and it has not yet been established who was responsible for it, despite criminal investigations launched by three countries—Germany, Sweden and Denmark—that border the pipeline. Swedish and Danish authorities termed the blasts an act of deliberate sabotage. In November, Sweden’s Prosecution Authority claimed that residues of explosives and several “foreign objects” were found at the “crime scene” on the seabed, around 100 metres below the surface of the Baltic Sea, close to the Danish Island of Bornholm. Also read | Ukraine war: Russian missile strikes kill 26 including five children In March, The New York Times reported that US intelligence officials have proof that a “pro-Ukrainian group” was responsible for the blasts, without the involvement of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. At that time Ljungqvist said it was “still unclear” who was behind the sabotage, calling it “a complex case”. “Our primary assumption is that a state is behind it,” he was quoted as saying. Still, speculations about Russia's involvement haven't been completely ruled out. Last week, a joint investigation by Danish, Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian public broadcasters last week found that Russia has been using civilian vessels to collect intelligence on military activity and critical infrastructure in the North Sea, Politico reported. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russian navy ship photographed near Nord Stream pipelines days before blasts: Report

Ukraine has denied any involvement in last September's attack on the Nord Stream pipelines, which carried Russian gas to Europe. Kyiv's remarks follow a report from the New York Times, which cites anonymous US intelligence officials who suggest a pro-Ukrainian group was to blame.

Ukraine denies involvement in Nord Stream pipelines blast