Sweden buries Nord Stream investigation – Germany in “mined terrain”

Sweden is closing its Nord Stream investigation. Now it's Germany's turn. There is understanding from the Bundestag – but also a warning.

Stockholm/Berlin – Swedish authorities have been investigating the attacks on the Nordstream 1 and 2 pipelines for well over a year – the investigations are now over. Without a result. The responsible public prosecutor's office announced this in dry words on Wednesday (February 7th).

“The preliminary investigations were systematic and careful. “In view of the situation we now have, we can state that there is no jurisdiction under Swedish jurisdiction,” the TV station quoted SVT Prosecutor Mats Ljungkvist. The alleged end of the investigation had already become public on Tuesday. However, the issue continues to concern the media in the Scandinavian country.

Further mystery about Nord Stream: Sweden does not provide any information about “any suspects”

Swedish authorities began investigations after the gas pipeline explosions in the Swedish economic zone in September 2022. In November 2022, investigators announced that they had found remains of explosives on several “foreign bodies”. There was a suspicion of “serious sabotage”.

Ljungkvist now praised the “quick and effective deployment” of the Swedish navy and coastal defense. This was the only way we could “achieve the investigative situation that we have now achieved,” he emphasized. However, the efforts will not have any legal consequences. The public prosecutor referred to ongoing investigations in Germany – he did not want to provide any information about the “conclusions” of the Swedish investigations or about “any suspects”.

Nord Stream investigations ended: Germany continues – in “mined terrain”

But there is “good international cooperation”. In the course of this, possible evidence was also handed over to Germany, said Ljungkvist. The Green politician Konstantin von Notz, head of the Parliamentary Control Committee of the Bundestag, showed in NDR Understanding. “Germany is seriously affected by this act of sabotage in a completely different way,” he emphasized. “Infrastructure worth billions was destroyed, with relevant effects on Germany”.

He did not want to make any assumptions about the perpetrators: “This is mined terrain,” explained the Green politician. “If states could be involved, then you have to check every lead ten times.”

Swedish broadcaster speaks to possible witness: boat “Andromeda” in focus

The issue of the Nord Stream explosions also continues to concern Sweden. Published almost simultaneously SVT a conversation with the port manager of the southeastern Swedish municipality of Sandhamn. According to his own information, he welcomed the crew of the sailing boat “Andromeda” in the harbor in September 2022. According to media reports, the name of the boat also appears in the German Nord Stream investigations.

There were “more than five” people on board, the man recalled. He noticed that the men and women paid the port fees in cash and euros. Other guests said that the group kept to themselves and did not help newly arriving boats dock.

The newspaper expresses had already found out some time ago that the “Andromeda” had anchored in Sandhamn less than two weeks before the Nord Stream explosions. The yacht was also spotted near the gas pipes, it said. German investigators also discovered traces of military explosives on the boat. The comparison with the Swedish finds could now help, explained von Notz. A German-Swedish-Danish-Polish research association expresses also saw signs of a lead into Ukraine in May 2023. Later Poland also came into focus. (fn)