Russia has leveled accusations against Sweden for allegedly fearing the truth, following the Swedish Prosecution Authority's announcement that a highly sensitive investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline attack will be discontinued.
The incident, which occurred in September 2022, has been under investigation by Swedish and other authorities. However, with the Swedish inquiry now closed, Russia has expressed strong disapproval of the decision.
"Scared to Reveal the Truth"
The Russian Foreign Ministry has been vocal in its dissatisfaction with Sweden's decision to halt the Nord Stream sabotage investigation.
Maria Zakharova, a spokesperson for the ministry, shared on the social media platform X that the Swedish authorities cited "lack of jurisdiction" as the reason for discontinuing the investigation. Zakharova suggested that the real reason behind this decision might be Sweden's apprehension about uncovering the truth behind the act of terrorism.
While the Swedish probe into the Nord Stream attack comes to an end, German authorities continue their investigation into the matter.
Threats Against NATO Countries
In addition to its statements concerning Sweden, Russia has also issued aggressive remarks targeting three NATO member states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Diplomats from these Baltic countries were summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry for discussions on Tuesday.
"Serious Consequences"
Russia has criticized the Baltic states for not responding to Russian demands regarding security for the upcoming Russian presidential election in March, during which Russian citizens residing abroad will be voting.
The Russian Foreign Ministry has demanded that authorities in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia "take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of voters" as well as embassy staff during the voting period, as reported by the international Ukrainian TV channel Freedom.
Russia has warned of "serious consequences" should these demands not be met, suggesting that failure to comply could lead to "serious protests" from Russian citizens during the election, according to Freedom's website. This development underscores the escalating tensions between Russia and its neighboring countries, as well as with Sweden, against the backdrop of the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage investigation.
