The Nord Stream pipeline leaks had been brought on by “no less than two detonations” with “a number of hundred kilos” of explosives, Denmark and Sweden stated in a joint letter to the United Nations Safety Council.
“A minimum of two detonations occurred underwater, damaging the pipelines belonging to Nord Stream 1 and a couple of, inflicting main leaks of pure gasoline into the Baltic Sea,” the international locations’ everlasting missions to the United Nations stated.
Leaks had been found on the two pure gasoline pipelines earlier within the week, with EU leaders warning that it might be “sabotage”.
Whereas the pipelines connecting Russia to Germany nonetheless contained some pure gasoline, the EU stated the leaks hadn’t affected the bloc’s gasoline provide.
Russia had beforehand stopped the gasoline stream to Nord Stream 1, whereas Nord Stream 2 was not but operational.
The explosions inflicting the leaks had been recorded by seismological institutes and measured a magnitude of 2.3 and a couple of.1 on the Richter Scale.
This most likely corresponds “to an explosive load of a number of hundred kilos,” Denmark and Sweden’s UN missions wrote within the letter.
The leaks occurred in each international locations’ unique financial zones and resulted in pure gasoline rising to the floor of the water.
The leaks to Nord Stream 1 are anticipated to proceed till 2 October, whereas an evaluation of the Nord Stream 2 leaks remains to be pending.
“The attainable influence on maritime life within the Baltic Sea is of concern, and the local weather impact would doubtless be very substantial as a result of vital volumes of greenhouse gasoline which can be being launched into the air,” they added.
Ships have been warned to keep up a distance of no less than 5 nautical miles (10 kilometres) from the leaks.
