Underwater explosions severed pipelines, but the 'how' remains a forensic puzzle

Entertainment · Published 19 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: On September 26, 2022, three of four Nord Stream pipelines were ruptured by underwater explosions. While the act was confirmed as sabotage, the technical specifics—from the type of explosives used to the exact method of severance—remain a subject of intense, conflicting expert debate.

The damage occurred in international waters within the economic zones of Denmark and Sweden. Seismic data from the Geological Survey of Denmark recorded two spikes on the day of the incident with magnitudes of 2.3 and 2.1, which were characteristic of underwater explosions rather than natural events. These tremors were described as being similar to 'larger WW2 bombs.' By November 2022, Swedish authorities confirmed the presence of explosive remains at the site, officially classifying the incident as sabotage.

The mechanism of destruction is contested. One explosives expert suggested the use of 300–400-kilogram C-4 explosives, while underwater drone footage and a different demolitions expert argued that 'shaped charges' using only a few kilograms of high-velocity explosives could have achieved the clean cuts. In a 2026 London High Court ruling regarding an insurance claim, experts jointly agreed that a 'directional (i.e. shaped) charge' using RDX explosive was likely used, causing initial piercing followed by 'pipe whip' which led to bending failure.

The geopolitical fallout has been complex. While Denmark, Sweden, and Germany initiated separate investigations, the Swedish and Danish inquiries were closed in February 2024 without identifying a specific perpetrator. Russia protested the exclusion of its experts from these probes, while the 2026 court ruling noted that a government was likely behind the sabotage, even though no specific individual or state could be definitively named in the legal proceedings.

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