Kremlin: ‘Truth’ Behind Nord Stream Blasts Would Surprise Europeans

By Staff, Agencies

The Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the "truth" behind the September explosions on the Nord Stream gas pipelines would "surprise" many Europeans if it was to be made public.

On September 26, the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which were built to deliver Russian natural gas directly to Germany, lost pressure abruptly following a series of powerful underwater explosions near a Danish island in the Baltic Sea surrounded by Sweden, Germany and Poland.

Since then, gas delivery from Russia to Germany has stopped.

Denmark, Germany and Sweden are conducting separate investigations into the blasts, with all three countries having barred Russia from participating in their investigations.

A preliminary report released by Danish police stated that "powerful explosions" had caused the rupture of the gas pipeline.

Danish police said inspectors had confirmed that there had been extensive damage to Nord Stream 1 and 2 in the Danish exclusive economic zone.

Parts of the pipeline were either missing or buried in the seabed, the company which was inspecting the damage reported.

Swedish investigators reached a similar conclusion earlier this month, blaming the blasts on “gross sabotage.”

Peskov said on Friday that if the "truth" were to be revealed, it would "surprise" many Europeans who suspect Moscow of orchestrating the blasts.

He said Moscow is working "intensely" to be included in an international probe, which Russia has previously said is "tailored" against it.

"Work is underway through diplomatic channels," Peskov said. "But so far it is running into a wall of unwillingness to get to the bottom of the truth together, which will surely surprise many in European countries if it was to be made public." Peskov gave no further details.

Russia has for weeks complained about not being included in the probe while also voicing Moscow's concerns about the leakage.

"Neither the Germans, nor the Swedes, nor the Danes share information with us," Peskov said.

According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, the investigation into the attacks can be considered reliable and objective only if Moscow participated in it.