Swedish intel opens Nord Stream 'sabotage' inquiry
Explosions, leaks on the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea 'unexplained'
Stockholm: Sweden's security service (SAPO) said Wednesday that it would investigate unexplained explosions and leaks on the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea, branding them "aggravated sabotage."
SAPO was taking over the investigation from police because "it could relate to a serious crime that could at least in part be directed at Swedish interests," it said in a statement, adding "it couldn't be ruled out that a foreign power is behind it."
'Ridiculous'
In Washington, the US said that Russia's demand that Washington say whether it was behind mysterious blasts hitting underwater natural gas pipelines in Europe is "ridiculous," a senior US official said Wednesday.
"We all know Russia has a long history of spreading disinformation and is doing it again here," Adrienne Watson, spokeswoman for the National Security Council, said.
President Joe Biden "is obliged to answer the question of whether the US carried out its threat," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier.
Russia's to request UN Security Council
Russia on Wednesday said it will ask for the United Nations Security Council to convene after Moscow denied allegations it was behind leaks at the Nord Stream pipelines between Russia and Germany.
"Russia intends to convene an official meeting of the UN Security Council in connection with provocations regarding Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines," Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement on social media.