Moscow demands answers over Nord Stream explosions — RT World News
Russian Foreign Ministry summons envoys from Germany, Denmark and Sweden over refusal to give access to investigation
Russia will not acknowledge the results of the ongoing investigation into the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline explosions in late September unless its experts are allowed to participate in the investigation, Moscow said. The Russian Foreign Ministry revealed on Thursday that it had summoned the representatives of Germany, Denmark and Sweden to convey its « perplexity » on the lack of official reaction to a request for cooperation sent earlier this month by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
In its press release, the ministry noted that while Russian authorities and the country’s energy giant, Gazprom, have still not been granted access to the investigation, reports have emerged suggesting that Berlin, Copenhagen and Stockholm have been much more accommodating to similar requests. manufactured by other nations, including the United States.
Russian diplomats have stressed that if its calls for cooperation are ignored, Moscow will assume that the three European countries « have something to hide or [that] they cover the perpetrators of these terrorist attacks.
« Russia will of course not recognize any ‘pseudo-result’ of such an investigation, unless Russian experts are involved, » the statement read.
The warning comes after Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced on Monday that Stockholm would not share with Moscow the results of its investigation into the explosions that severely damaged the two pipelines created to pump gas from Russia to Europe.
« In Sweden, our preliminary investigations are confidential, and that, of course, also applies in this case, » he added. she explained.
The Prime Minister added, however, that Russia could carry out its own investigation into the site if it so wished.
Meanwhile, Swedish authorities said they found evidence of sabotage.
Also on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that despite denying access to the investigation, « We all know who the ultimate beneficiary of this crime is. » Earlier, he had publicly denied responsibility for the attack at the gates of « Anglo-Saxon » a colloquial Russian language for the US-British bond.
Commenting on the explosions, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described them as a « wonderful opportunity » for Europe « to eliminate once and for all dependence on Russian energy. »
The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were rendered inoperative on September 26 following a series of powerful underwater explosions off the Danish island of Bornholm.
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