Russia slashes gas deliveries to European customers to 20 percent of normal levels

Russian energy company Gazprom on Wednesday cut gas deliveries to Europe via the Nord Stream pipeline to about 20 percent of capacity, according to German authorities. Italian distributors of Russian gas have suffered similar delivery cuts.

AFP/File

Earlier this week, the Russian state-run company Gazprom announced that it would cut supplies to about half the amount it has been delivering since service resumed last week after maintenance work. 

EU states have accused Russia of squeezing supplies in retaliation for Western sanctions over Moscow's war in Ukraine.

The German economy ministry says there is "no technical reason for a reduction of deliveries". 

Klaus Mueller, head of Germany's energy regulator, said gas flows had dropped to 20 percent of the pipeline's capacity on Wednesday from 40 percent.

Deliveries stalled by impact of sanctions

Italian energy major Eni said Gazprom had informed the group it would deliver "approximately 27 million cubic metres" on Wednesday, down from 34 million cubic metres in recent days.

A Kremlin spokesman has blamed EU sanctions for the terchnical difficulties being faced by Gazprom.

"Technical pumping capacities are . . . restricted. Because the process of maintaining technical devices is made extremely difficult by the sanctions adopted by Europe," Dmitry.Peskov said.

 "Gazprom was and remains a reliable guarantor of its obligations ... but it can't guarantee the pumping of gas if the imported devices cannot be maintained because of European sanctions."