Russia summons Germany, Denmark, Sweden envoys over “stalled” Nord Stream investigation
PHOTO CAPTION: Gas leak at Nord Stream 2 as seen from the Danish F-16 interceptor on Bornholm, Denmark September 27, 2022. Danish Defence Command/Forsvaret Ritzau Scanpix/via REUTERS
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it had summoned the ambassadors of Germany, Sweden and Denmark to protest over what it said was the "complete lack of results" in an investigation to identify who blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last year.
Several unexplained underwater explosions ruptured the Nord Stream 1 and newly-built Nord Stream 2 pipelines that link Russia and Germany across the Baltic Sea in September 2022.
The blasts occurred in the economic zones of Sweden and Denmark and both countries say the explosions were deliberate, but have yet to determine who was responsible. The two countries and Germany are investigating the incident.
Russia's Foreign Ministry in a statement accused all three of deliberately dragging their feet and of trying to conceal who was behind the blasts.
It said it was unhappy about what it called the opaque nature of the investigation and its refusal to engage with Russia.
"It has been noted that these countries are not interested in establishing the true circumstances of this sabotage. On the contrary, they are delaying their efforts and trying to conceal the tracks and the true perpetrators of the crime behind which we believe are well-known countries," it said.
"It is no coincidence that 'leaked' improbable versions (of what happened) are dumped in the media to try to muddy the waters."
The United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have called the incident "an act of sabotage." Moscow has blamed the West. Neither side has provided evidence.
The ministry said Moscow would keep trying to ensure that Germany, Denmark and Sweden conducted what it called an objective investigation with Russia participating too.
(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Andrew Osborn)
