Germany, Sweden, Denmark Step Up Cooperation on Nord Stream Investigation

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Germany, Sweden and Denmark have established cooperation and stepped up information exchange on the investigation of explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines, the local newspaper reported on Saturday, citing security sources.

The countries initially planned to investigate the blasts as part of a joint investigation team, but Sweden and Denmark withdrew from the group citing privacy concerns, the report said.

"Cooperation with these countries has now become much better," an unnamed source told the newspaper.

The Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, built to deliver gas under the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, were hit by explosions last September. Nord Stream's operator, Nord Stream AG, said that the damage was unprecedented and it was impossible to estimate the time repairs might take.

Russia considers the explosions at the two pipelines an act of international terrorism. There are no official results of the investigation yet, though US journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hersh alleged that the explosions were organized by the United States with the support of Norway. Following Hersh's report, Moscow reiterated its calls for an impartial and thorough investigation. The US has denied its involvement in the incident.