Russia's Gazprom Announces Suspension of Gas Pipeline via Poland... European Gas Crisis Intensifies (Update)

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Gazprom, the Russian state-owned gas company, has unilaterally declared that it will suspend the use of gas pipelines transporting gas to Europe via Poland as a countermeasure against Western sanctions on Russia. Concerns are rising that the gas supply crisis in Europe will intensify further.

According to AFP on the 12th (local time), Gazprom stated in a press release that "measures prohibiting transactions and payments to sanctioned companies have been implemented," and "in accordance with these measures, the use of gas pipelines transporting Russian natural gas via Poland will be prohibited."

Earlier, the Russian government announced sanctions on 'Europol Gas,' 'Gazprom Germania,' and 29 of their subsidiaries through a legal information disclosure site. This implied the suspension of gas supply through major pipelines passing through Poland to Germany and Europe. Gazprom declared the actual suspension of supply following these Russian government measures.

As Western pressure through sanctions against Russia intensifies, it is interpreted that Russia is warning European countries by weaponizing its resources. On the same day, Gazprom also warned that the supply of natural gas to Europe had decreased by about 30%.

According to Russia's Interfax news agency, Gazprom stated that the volume of gas transported to Europe via Ukraine was 50.6 million cubic meters, down more than 30% from 72 million cubic meters the previous day. Gazprom shifted responsibility to Ukraine, saying, "this is due to Ukraine's suspension of operations at gas transportation facilities on the main route."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.