Russia has threatened to cut off the last gas pipeline to Ukraine’s European allies, in light of its moves to annex a large part of Ukrainian territory, after several military setbacks in its seven-month-old invasion, and its announcement of overwhelming victories in the referendums it organized in the areas occupied by its forces, and condemnation of the United Nations Voting was described as illegal with people sometimes being forced at gunpoint.
According to Arabiya Net, European gas prices rose after the state-run Gazprom warned that it may cut off supplies to Western Europe via Ukraine.
The news came on the heels of reports of suspected sabotage causing massive leaks discovered in Nord Stream's currently inoperative pipelines under the Baltic Sea.
With the new warning about energy supplies, the call-up of an additional 300,000 troops, and hints that it might use nuclear weapons, the Kremlin is sending a clear signal that it is committed to a conflict that many in the United States and Europe say cannot be won. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are steadily working to repel Russia's control of the areas they are heading to annex.
After cutting gas supplies over the past few months, Moscow hopes to amplify the suffering in Europe, which is already facing record-high energy prices and the threat of rationing and supply cuts this winter.
On Tuesday, Gazprom warned that it could cut off supplies through Ukraine, the last link through which Russian gas still reaches customers in Western Europe. Hours earlier, leaks were reported on Nord Stream pipelines to Germany, where authorities said they suspected sabotage.
Russia cut flows through Nord Stream 1 temporarily during the summer, and has not yet resumed them, while the other pipeline has never entered service due to the invasion.
Josep Borrell, the European Union's foreign policy chief, said the leaks appeared to be a deliberate act, warning that any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure was completely unacceptable and would meet with a strong and united response.
