Russia warns of potential gas ‘disaster’ for Germany

Russia’s EU Ambassador Vladimir Chizhov warned on Thursday that repair issues with Nord Stream’s pumping turbines could result in a complete stoppage of natural gas supplies to the bloc via the pipeline.

Such a scenario would be “a disaster for Germany,” which has a high level of dependence on gas deliveries via the pipeline, he told RIA Novosti news agency at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

The Nord Stream pipeline reduced flows via the Baltic Sea to Germany by roughly 60% this week after Siemens failed to return pumping turbines, undergoing repairs in Canada, due to anti-Russia sanctions.

Gas supplies via the pipeline dropped from 167 million cubic meters per day to just 67 million cubic meters.

“We should ask Siemens, why the gas pumping units must undergo maintenance in Canada,” Chizhov said, adding: “I don’t want to give any advice, but I think they could have learnt by now how to repair [turbines] themselves.”

READ MORE: EU faces another Russian gas supply cut

Natural gas prices in Europe spiked to over $1,500 per thousand cubic meters on Thursday for the first time since April, according to data from the London ICE exchange.

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