Sweden on Monday refused to give Russia access to its investigation into the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, suggesting that Moscow conduct its own investigation on site in the Baltic Sea.
“In Sweden, preliminary investigations are confidential, and that is obviously the case in this case,” said the resigned Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, at a press conference.
The statement comes after repeated requests from Moscow to be involved in the Danish and Swedish investigations into the explosions two weeks ago.
The massive gas leaks, which investigators believe were caused by underwater detonations on both pipelines on September 26, are located in international waters.
Each nation is free to conduct its own investigation,” said Andersson, who is acting as interim president before a right-wing government is formed.
Sweden had closed off a perimeter last week for the purposes of its own investigation.
“Now we have lifted this blockade and it is possible for other ships to go to the area,” said Andersson, noting that to his knowledge Moscow had not yet inspected the site of the leaks, located off the Danish island of Bornholm in the southern Baltic Sea.
Evidence was taken during the first inspections by Swedish investigators and “is currently being analyzed in our laboratories,” she said.
Russia had demanded on Wednesday to participate in the investigation of the leaks of the two gas pipelines.
On the Danish side, the head of diplomacy Jeppe Kofod said on September 28 that he had “informed Russia” of the beginnings of the investigation in his country. “But we have no desire to talk to Russia. We want to get to the bottom of this, and we do it with our allies,” he said.
On Friday, the Russian embassy complained that it was not involved in the investigation, saying that “the reluctance of the Danish side to involve Russian representatives in the ongoing investigation undermines its credibility.
Germany, Denmark and Sweden had already announced in early October their intention to set up a joint investigation group at the level of their respective police forces.
