1661960412 Russia has shut down the Nord Stream gas pipeline to

Russia has shut down the Nord Stream gas pipeline to Europe

Russia has halted gas flow through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Europe for three days, the latest disruption to an energy link central to Moscow’s efforts to cut supplies.

The pipeline shutdown on Wednesday, which Russia claims is needed for essential maintenance, will add to concerns in European countries as they try to secure vital supplies ahead of the winter months.

Russia has been accused of “weaponizing” energy supplies to Europe and fomenting a cost of living crisis in retaliation for Western sanctions linked to its invasion of Ukraine.

Prices have more than doubled since Gazprom first restricted supplies through the pipeline three months ago, capping capacity at 20 percent.

Italian energy company Eni said on Wednesday that its gas supplies from Gazprom had been cut by more than a quarter to 20 million cubic meters per day, down from about 27 million cubic meters per day in recent days. Eni received about 37 million cubic meters per day from Gazprom before the June cuts.

French energy utility Engie has also reported a complete disruption in supplies over what Gazprom has described as a contract dispute.

However, the European gas market has seen some relief as prices have come off last week’s all-time highs. After gas prices rose to a peak of over €340 per MWh on Friday – equivalent to nearly $550 a barrel in oil – gas prices have fallen back to €234/MWh, including a further 6 percent drop on Wednesday, although prices only rising back to where they were trading in mid-August.

According to data from Gas Infrastructure Europe, Europe’s gas storage capacity hit 80.17 percent on Monday, well ahead of the EU target of hitting 80 percent by November.

Traders said that while European utilities would continue to fill storage ahead of the winter months, the mass rush to all available gas may ease somewhat after the 80 percent target is met. Prices remain about ten times higher than the average for the last ten years.

Russia blamed the supply cuts on Western sanctions against the country over its invasion of Ukraine. Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for President Vladimir Putin, told reporters that Russia and Gazprom “have remained and have remained true to our commitments and contracts” but “cannot fulfill them now because of the restrictions and sanctions,” according to Interfax.

Peskov said only one of the turbines powering the equipment pumping gas through Nord Stream 1 was operational, and claimed the others either needed repairs or faced legal obstacles preventing Gazprom from using them .

Andriy Yermak, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, called on the EU to tighten its sanctions against Russia over arming its energy supply and continuing its all-out invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has shut down the Nord Stream gas pipeline to

Ukraine has repeatedly pointed out that it has refused to use additional pipeline capacity through Ukraine to maintain supplies to Europe, despite Moscow’s protests over technical problems with Nord Stream 1.

“The answer to Russian gas blackmail is visa restrictions and a gas embargo. . . Russia can only be defeated by force,” Yermak said.

Sergiy Makogon, CEO of Ukraine’s gas transportation company, said in a previous statement that “there has been no increase in requests for transportation through Ukraine”.

“Only 40 percent of reserved capacity in Ukraine is being used,” added Makogon.

Additional coverage by Shotaro Tani in London