Moscow: Russia has turned off the gas taps for the main gas pipeline in Europe for ten days out of concern that they might not be turned back on. Since beginning of the Russia Ukraine war, Vladimir Putin has driven up gas prices across the continent, limiting supply to 60% of demand while issuing warnings about blackouts and hot water shortages.
Now that Nord Stream 1 will be shut down entirely for ten days for planned maintenance there are worries that Gazprom will simply close the valves causing havoc across the continent. Putin will shut off the gas supply. Will he ever turn it back on, though? German mass-market newspaper Bild posted the query on its website on Sunday. European benchmark TTF gas prices have doubled from already high levels to £144 per megawatt hour since Russia reduced capacity last month.
Despite the taps being shut off today prices have remained comparatively stable increasing by only 0.5% for the main contract for delivery next month. However, Klaus Mueller the head of Germany's federal gas network regulator stated to ZDF on Monday that there are a number of scenarios in which an emergency could arise.
Anything is possible because we are in an unprecedented situation, German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck said over the weekend on public radio.
It's possible that the gas will start flowing again possibly even at a higher volume than before.
In spite of this he emphasised that it is possible that nothing comes through and we still have to prepare for the worst as Europe hurriedly moved away from Russia as a source of energy.
Germany condemned the recent reduction to 60% as a political decision while Russia attributed it to the lack of a turbine issue
A number of EU member states were affected by the cuts, and Poland and Bulgaria had their supplies completely cut off. Europe has imposed a blockade on Russian goods in response to Russia weaponizing its gas supplies; today, Lithuania extended this blockade to include the exclave of Kaliningrad. According to a representative for Lithuanian customs, additional items prohibited this morning include concrete, wood, alcohol, and industrial chemicals containing alcohol.
On Friday, Russia issued a warning to Lithuania and the European Union, stating that if certain goods transit to and from Kaliningrad did not resume "within the coming days," it might take "harsh measures" against them.
Today, the regional governor of Kaliningrad suggested a complete ban on the movement of goods overland between Russia and the three EU Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. This proposal could cause Russian cargo to be diverted from those ports to those in Kaliningrad.
Governor Anton Alikhanov stated on Telegram that "this will provide activities to (our) maritime carriers and give work to Kaliningrad ports, which have been hard hit by the EU restrictions."
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