Russia’s state-owned gas firm on Monday introduced an sudden, drastic reduce in provide to Europe, main Ukraine to name the West to motion over the “gas war”.
The gas cuts got here amid guarded hope of resuming exports this week of one other key commodity — Ukraine’s grain — beneath a breakthrough deal that was known as into query by a strike by Moscow on the important thing port of Odessa.
Gazprom, the Russian vitality big, stated it was slicing every day deliveries of gas to Europe by way of the Nord Stream pipeline to 33 million cubic metres a day — about 20% of the pipeline’s capability — from Wednesday.
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Ukraine calls Europe to motion as Russia slashes gas
The firm stated it was halting the operation of one of many final two working generators due to the “technical condition of the engine”.
But Germany — which is closely reliant on Russian gas however has regarded to wean itself off steadily following Moscow’s 24 February invasion of Ukraine — stated there was no technical justification for the reduce.
German group Siemens Energy, which is charged with sustaining the turbine, additionally stated in an announcement to AFP that it noticed “no link between the turbine and the gas cuts that have been implemented or announced”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the cuts confirmed that Europe ought to bolster sanctions towards Russia.
“This is an open gas war that Russia is waging against a united Europe,”
Zelensky stated.
“They don’t care what will happen to the people, how they will suffer — from hunger due to blocked ports, from winter cold and poverty… or the occupation. These are just different forms of terror,”
he stated in his every day video message.
“That is why you have to hit back. Do not think about how to bring back the turbine, but strengthen the sanctions,”
he stated.
The Russian announcement got here on the identical day that Ukraine introduced receiving the primary of an anticipated 15 Gepard anti-aircraft techniques and tens of hundreds of shells from Germany.
Hope for grains shipments
Russia and Ukraine on Friday concluded their most important settlement because the begin of the conflict, signing a deal brokered by Turkey and the United Nations to launch some 25 million of tonnes of wheat and different grain that had been trapped in Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
The breakthrough raised hopes of relieving a spike in international meals costs that has hit poor nations hardest. But lower than 24 hours later, Moscow struck the port in Odessa — considered one of three exit hubs designated within the settlement.
Ukraine voiced fury however stated Monday that it nonetheless anticipated implementation of the deal within the coming days.
“We are preparing for everything to start this week,”
Ukraine’s infrastructure minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, who led Ukraine’s delegation eventually week’s grain talks in Istanbul.
Ukrainian officers stated the port of Chornomorsk in southwestern Ukraine could be the primary to be opened and insisted on the significance of safety following the strike on close by Odessa.
Russia had justified its blockade partially due to mines, which Ukraine stated had been mandatory to forestall an amphibious assault.
Kubrakov stated de-mining will happen solely within the transport lanes required for grain exports, whereas Ukrainian ships will accompany the departing convoys that may transport not solely grain but additionally fertiliser.
After talking to Kubrakov by telephone, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar welcomed Ukraine’s resolve to resume the shipments.
“It is important that the first ship starts sailing as soon as possible,”
Akar stated in an announcement.
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Kremlin’s shifting narrative
The Kremlin insisted Monday that its strikes in Odessa, which it initially denied to Turkey, “should not affect” the Turkish-brokered push to ship the grain to world markets.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Moscow’s cruise missiles hit “exclusively” navy infrastructure and had been “not connected with the agreement on the export of grain.”
Russia has regarded to shift the blame for the meals disaster onto Western sanctions. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was visiting Africa the place on his first cease, Egypt, he promised that Russia would meet grain orders.
Ukrainian presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak slammed the go to as a cynical ploy by Moscow after it had fuelled the meals disaster.
“You arranged the artificial hunger and then come to cheer people up,”
he stated on Twitter, assuring that Ukrainian grain will attain its locations.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Ned Price voiced hope that grain shipments would come out within the coming days however stated the United States was “clear-eyed”.
“Moscow’s track record when it comes to previous deals that it has struck is not exactly a cause for optimism,”
Price stated.
Russia is urgent on with a grinding push throughout Ukraine’s southeast, the place Kyiv’s forces are being boosted by recent Western navy help shipments.
The Ukrainian presidency stated Monday {that a} Russian strike trapped seven folks beneath the rubble of a collapsed cultural centre within the northeastern Kharkiv area. Three had been pulled out alive and the rescue operation was ongoing.
It reported shelling throughout the complete entrance line and a minimum of one particular person was killed within the city of Soledar.
In the south — the place Kyiv has vowed a serious counter-offensive to retake the strategic Kherson area — officers stated Ukrainian forces stopped a Russian push in a number of villages.
Ukraine’s bid to oust the Kremlin’s forces has been bolstered by longer vary Western weapons which have allowed Kyiv to goal Russian provide traces deeper in occupied areas.
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© Agence France-Presse
