'Powerful explosions' behind Nord Stream leaks, Danish police say

A preliminary investigation of damages to the two Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Danish part of the Baltic Sea shows that the leaks were caused by "powerful explosions", Copenhagen Police said in a statement on Tuesday.

Further investigations into the Sept. 26 ruptures of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in Denmark's exclusive economic zone will be handled jointly by Copenhagen Police and Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service.

The Danish findings appeared to be similar to those of Swedish prosecutors, who said two other holes in the pipelines also seemed to have been caused by explosions and that the case was being investigated as an act of gross sabotage.

Swedish and Danish authorities have been investigating four leaks in the pipelines, which link Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea and have become a flashpoint in the Ukraine crisis.

Danish police could not say when the investigation is expected to be concluded.

"It is still too early to say anything about the framework under which the international cooperation with e.g. Sweden and Germany will run, as it depends on several factors," Copenhagen Police said.

World leaders have called the damages an act of sabotage and Moscow has sought to pin the blame on the West, suggesting the United States stood to gain. Washington has denied any involvement.