DISINFO: Denmark seeks to compel Russia to cover the costs of investigating Nord Stream explosions
SUMMARY
A representative of the Danish Police Department stated that the government has incurred significant expenses in conducting investigations into the Nord Stream explosions. He insists that Russia should compensate these costs. However, the crux of the matter lies is that the investigation into the Nord Stream pipelines yielded nothing. European specialists, whose work Russia is now supposed to reimburse, found evidence that it was an organised sabotage. Thus, all this time was needed to establish that the pipeline on the seabed was not damaged by a natural disaster or unintentionally. Russia, which originally installed the pipeline, was not allowed to participate in the investigation. Russian specialists are left to rely on leaked information and officially released information for the media.
RESPONSE
A made up false claim. This is a part of recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives about the Nord Stream 2 sabotage. Denmark and Sweden, in whose exclusive economic zones the explosions occurred, have conducted investigations to establish the cause of the leaks and explosions.
The joint investigation conducted by the Copenhagen Police and the Danish Security and Intelligence Services (PET) into the Nord Stream explosions has been concluded. There is no sufficient grounds to pursue a criminal case in Denmark in connection with the explosions of Nord Stream 1 and 2, and therefore the Copenhagen Police has decided to conclude the criminal investigation of the explosions.
The official press release from the Copenhagen Police and the Danish Security and Intelligence Services (PET) stated that “The investigation conducted has been both complex and comprehensive”. Compensation for the expenses of conducting the investigation was not raised at all.
Pro-Kremlin media are promoting a number of different claims alleging that the leaks were planned by the US, UK, Poland or Ukraine. This is similar to the Kremlin's disinformation campaign in the situation with MH-17. See our article Nord Stream 1 & 2 sabotage - disinformation a la MH-17?
See more disinformation cases related to Nord Stream claiming that The US blew up Nord Stream 1 and 2 to sell more gas to Europe, that US benefits from destroying of Nord Stream because it can now sell more liquefied natural gas to Europe, that the US is instigating war in Ukraine to boycott the NS2 project, that Nord Stream 2 is the only guarantee of Europe's energy security, that the EU's gas problems are a result of its fight for "energy independence".