Moscow blames repair work on a turbine on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline for the throttled gas supplies to Europe. If the machine, which is currently in Canada, goes back into operation, the delivery volumes will increase, the Kremlin promises.
If its repaired gas turbine returns from Canada, Russia wants to restart energy supplies through the throttled Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline. "If the turbine comes after the repair, then that will allow for an increase in volume," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, according to the Interfax agency.
Peskov once again denied that Russia was using its gas as a means of exerting political pressure. It is not a question of imaginary repair work, but of scheduled maintenance. "We completely reject any hints or direct reports that the Russian side is using gas or oil as a weapon for political pressure," Peskov said. Russia is fulfilling all obligations under the treaties. "And Russia is most importantly able to ensure Europe's full energy security."
In particular, Russia can also guarantee that consumers in European countries will not have to accept constantly rising prices for electricity, heat and other things. The Russian state-owned company Gazprom recently drastically reduced gas deliveries through Nord Stream 1 to Germany - and also justified this with the lack of a turbine. German politicians then described this statement as a pretext and accused Russia of an "economic attack".
Russia insists that mandatory maintenance continues despite Western sanctions over Moscow's war of aggression in Ukraine. The systems have been serviced in Canada and are now said to be ready for delivery. According to information from German government circles, the turbine will not be delivered directly to Gazprom, but initially to Germany.
The background is that this makes it easier for Canada to decide on extradition. Because the government in Ottawa had feared violating the Western sanctions imposed on Russia. The federal government had announced that the turbine should be used again so that the Russian government could no longer refer to the alleged technical problem with the reduced gas deliveries.
The throttling of Russian gas supplies by Nord Stream 1 caused Germany's largest importer of Russian natural gas, Uniper, to experience turbulence and called for state aid. The problems in the gas market could get worse. Annual maintenance work on Nord Stream 1, which usually lasts ten days, begins on July 11. The big concern is that Russia won't turn on the gas tap again after the maintenance.
