'Nord Stream' Undermined: Mines Were Lowered On Long Line Over Boat Side

The fourth gas leak was revealed on pipelines in Sweden.

Swedish coastguard has found the fourth leak on the Nord Stream gas pipeline

Sky News reports.

Two leaks were found in the exclusive economic zone of Sweden, and two more in the economic zone of Denmark.

"The suspected acts of sabotage against gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea was likely a premeditated attack using underwater explosive devices detonated remotely," a British defence source says.

The source said any mines could have been lowered to the seabed on a long line, dropped over the side of a boat or placed next to the Nord Stream pipelines with an underwater drone months or even years ago.

Undermining of Nord Stream: what we know

The information about several explosions in the pipeline area appeared after reports from the Nord Stream operator company on a sharp drop in throughput in both Nord Stream gas pipelines.

They linked the leak to holes revealed in the pipes, which could be the result of a targeted explosion, according to the Swedish and Danish governments.

The Swedish Security Service later noted that "a foreign country" is behind this.

The incidents are not officially connected to Russia so far. Although the European intelligence services have evidence of Russian naval activity in that area. At the same time, the British Ministry of Defense explicitly stated that the Russian Federation was involved in blowing up pipelines. Russia is believed to have both the opportunity and the motivation to intentionally damage pipelines.

Both Denmark and Sweden conduct investigations, but the examination of the scene is not yet carried out, and there are few details on the causes of the explosions. Pipeline pressure makes it difficult to approach the leak.