Russia urges progress in Nord Stream pipelines sabotage probe

MOSCOW, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Russia has called upon the UN Security Council to facilitate investigations into the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines, a Russian diplomat said Thursday.

During a press briefing, Dmitry Polyanskiy, first deputy permanent representative of Russia to the United Nations, said, "We have drawn the attention of our colleagues in the Security Council to the fact that the so-called national investigations conducted by Sweden, Germany, and Denmark are not progressing."

He refuted claims that Russia had knowledge of the progress of these investigations, stressing that Russia would seek international investigations and the punishment of those responsible for the sabotage.

"My country will do everything possible to understand the reasons behind this incident. We will strive for an international investigation and the punishment of those behind this heinous crime," he said.

The Nord Stream pipelines, which transported natural gas from Russia to European markets via Germany, were severely damaged last September after blasts in the Baltic Sea. The Nord Stream 1 was in operation at the time of the explosion and the Nord Stream 2, though not operational, was filled with gas.