Citing sanctions, Russian state-owned company Gazprom has completely halted the major gas pipeline to Europe. The pipeline stretches 1,200km (745 miles) under the Baltic Sea from the Russian coast near St Petersburg to north-eastern Germany.
Mentioning the need for maintenance, Russia blocked the gap supply simultaneously since this summer; In May, the Yamal gas pipeline which runs through Belarus and Poland and delivers gas to Germany and other European nations was closed.
In June, it halted gas deliveries by 75% then, in July, the supply was shut for 10 days, citing the need for maintenance. Shortly after reopening, it halved the amount supplied to 20m cubic metres.
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The pipeline sends a maximum of 170m cubic metres of gas per day from Russia to Germany. Germany had also previously approved the construction of a parallel pipeline – Nord Stream 2 – but the project was halted after Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Natural gas is already facing higher costs in European nations.
As per media reports, Germany is limiting the use of lighting and heating in public buildings this winter. Spain and Switzerland is also doing the same.
