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dpa
Moscow
Russia cut off natural gas deliveries to Finland on Saturday morning, following a dispute about rouble payments with Russian state-owned company Gazprom.
Finnish energy provider Gasum had already announced on Friday that gas deliveries were to be suspended.
According to Gazprom, Gasum was not paying in roubles as demanded by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Gasum confirmed the suspension on Saturday and said customers will receive gas from other sources through the Balticconnector pipeline, a statement said. The pipeline connects the Estonian and Finnish gas grids. According to Gazprom, Finland received two thirds of its gas from Russia last year, amounting to a total of 1.49 billion cubic metres of gas.
The Finnish company had previously said that it would not accept Gazprom’s demands to settle payments in roubles. The two companies also disagreed on other issues.
Gas makes up only about 5% of Finland’s energy mix, according to the Finnish Broadcasting Company. However, almost all of it comes from Russia.
Gasum said it is the only energy company in Finland that buys gas directly from Russia’s Gazprom. Moscow’s move marks a rise in tensions with its Nordic neighbour, which this week officially applied for membership in the NATO defence alliance.
Last month, Russia also froze gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria because they had failed to make payments in roubles in line with Moscow’s demand, which is seen as a tactic to boost the value of the local currency amid tough Western sanctions on the economy due to the war in Ukraine.
Moscow
Russia cut off natural gas deliveries to Finland on Saturday morning, following a dispute about rouble payments with Russian state-owned company Gazprom.
Finnish energy provider Gasum had already announced on Friday that gas deliveries were to be suspended.
According to Gazprom, Gasum was not paying in roubles as demanded by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Gasum confirmed the suspension on Saturday and said customers will receive gas from other sources through the Balticconnector pipeline, a statement said. The pipeline connects the Estonian and Finnish gas grids. According to Gazprom, Finland received two thirds of its gas from Russia last year, amounting to a total of 1.49 billion cubic metres of gas.
The Finnish company had previously said that it would not accept Gazprom’s demands to settle payments in roubles. The two companies also disagreed on other issues.
Gas makes up only about 5% of Finland’s energy mix, according to the Finnish Broadcasting Company. However, almost all of it comes from Russia.
Gasum said it is the only energy company in Finland that buys gas directly from Russia’s Gazprom. Moscow’s move marks a rise in tensions with its Nordic neighbour, which this week officially applied for membership in the NATO defence alliance.
Last month, Russia also froze gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria because they had failed to make payments in roubles in line with Moscow’s demand, which is seen as a tactic to boost the value of the local currency amid tough Western sanctions on the economy due to the war in Ukraine.
