Danish police have announced they are closing their investigation into the explosions that destroyed two pipelines meant to transport Russian gas to Germany.
The agency concluded that the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines had been subjected to “sabotage” in September 2022, but said there was no basis to pursue a criminal case.
Responsibility for the alleged sabotage remains unclear.
Sweden closed its investigation earlier this month, citing lack of jurisdiction.
Germany is still investigating the incident.
In September 2022, leaks were discovered in three out of four gas pipes east of the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. The Earthquake Research Institute had recorded a large underwater explosion shortly before.
Shortly afterward, Swedish prosecutors announced that traces of explosives had been found in some objects recovered from the scene and said the explosion was the result of a “serious act of sabotage.”
The pipeline was built by Russian gas giant Gazprom. Nord Stream 1 operated from 2011 until 2022. Nord Stream 2 was completed in 2021 but was never used as Germany halted the project days after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Danish police said the investigation, carried out in conjunction with Danish intelligence agency PET, was “complex and extensive” and would not comment further on the case.
Following the Danish police statement, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “The situation borders on absurdity.
“On the one hand, they recognize that intentional sabotage took place, but on the other hand, they are not moving forward.”
An investigative report published in 2023 by four Nordic public broadcasters found that Russian vessels had been involved in suspicious activity in the area in the months leading up to the explosion.
The Russian government denies responsibility and says the blame lies with the United States and Britain.
Last year, U.S. intelligence officials told The New York Times that pro-Ukrainian groups may have planned the attack. The Ukrainian government denies involvement.