A Danish patrol boat detected a Russian vessel near the Nord Stream gas pipelines four days before they were sabotaged in multiple blasts, according to media reports.
The defense command confirmed it had 26 images of the SS-750 Russian navy ship, which carries a small submarine that is designed to carry out underwater operations, photographed from a Danish patrol boat in the vicinity of the pipelines on September 22, 2022, local newspaper Dagbladet Information reported Thursday.
Four days later, on September 26, 2022, explosions ripped through three of the four Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, which link Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea and are part-owned by Russia’s Gazprom.
Swedish and Danish authorities called the blasts an act of deliberate sabotage. Sweden’s Prosecution Authority, confirmed in November that residues of explosives and several “foreign objects” were found at the “crime scene” on the seabed, around 100 meters below the surface of the Baltic Sea, close to the Danish Island of Bornholm.
Some analysts were quick to blame Russia for the sabotage, pointing to its record of hybrid warfare and a possible motive of intimidation, as it sought to inflict pain on Western nations that have backed Ukraine after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of the country. Russia has variously blamed the U.K. and U.S. for the explosions, while some have pointed the finger at Ukrainians. Multiple investigations by Danish, Swedish and German authorities into the blasts continue.
Last week, a joint investigation by Danish, Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian public broadcasters found that Russia has been using civilian vessels to collect intelligence on military activity and critical infrastructure in the North Sea.
CORRECTION: This article has been updated to correct which defense command has the photos of the SS-750.
