Danish police announced on Monday that they had closed their investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea in September 2022, assessing that they did not have the “necessary legal basis” to initiate criminal prosecutions, AFP reported.

In addition to Denmark, two other investigations were opened in Germany and Sweden, and the Swedish prosecutor’s office ended its investigations in early February without initiating any prosecution, considering that the facts were not within its competence, Agerpres noted.

The investigation in Germany is still ongoing.

“On the basis of the investigation, the authorities can conclude that the sabotage of the gas pipelines was intentional. At the same time, they understand that there is no necessary basis to continue the criminal investigation in Denmark,” the Danish police said in a statement.

The reaction of the Kremlin

The Kremlin reacted by saying that Denmark’s decision was “absurd” and caused “absolute stupor.”

“The situation in this case is so obvious that we can only express our absolute astonishment,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmytro Peskov, quoted by EFE.

“On the one hand, I admit that it is about sabotage, and on the other hand, I decide not to continue” the investigation, Peskov added.

On September 26, 2022, four massive gas leaks, preceded by underwater explosions, occurred within hours of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, which connect Russia to Germany and transport most of Russia’s gas to Europe.

The explosions occurred near the Danish island of Bornholm, but “outside the territorial waters of Denmark,” the report said.

Denmark, Germany and Sweden cooperated in the investigation

Denmark, Germany and Sweden cooperated in the investigation, described as “complex and in-depth”, which was also carried out in cooperation with the Danish Intelligence Services (PET).

“PET continues to monitor the development of the threat and, in cooperation with the competent authorities, is constantly implementing measures deemed necessary to protect critical infrastructure in Denmark,” the statement emphasized.

According to various media investigations, responsibility for the explosions was placed on Ukraine, Russia or the USA, but all these countries denied it.

In particular, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has repeatedly denied the involvement of his country. “I would never do it,” he told German newspaper Bild in June, adding that he “would like to see proof.”