The Russian energy giant Gazprom has made an official announcement. In its statement it announces to the Polish state oil and gas company PGNiG that it will stop supplying gas through the Yamal pipeline from 8 a.m. on Wednesday morning, in case Russia's payment is not made in rubles, as requested by the relevant political officials. PGNiG also confirmed the information in its own statement.
The Polish state-owned oil and gas company says it will take measures to restore the flow of gas and ensure that national energy needs are met, noting that such a move constitutes a breach of the terms of the contract. It also notes that it has every right to claim compensation for breach of contract.
Earlier, the Polish news website Onet.pl, citing government and business sources, reported that there had been a significant reduction and subsequent suspension of gas supplies from Moscow to Warsaw via the Yamal pipeline. While noting that a meeting of a crisis management team at the Ministry of Climate was underway.
The information had not been confirmed by Moscow through Gazprom, which announced that the supply would be cut off on Wednesday, stressing that it had not taken any further action so far.
Reassuring the government in Poland
Poland's energy supply is secure, Climate and Environment Minister Anna Moskva assured after Russia's Gazprom informed Polish state oil and gas company PGNiG that it was cutting off gas supplies through the Yamal pipeline as of 9am (local time) on Wednesday.
The Minister said that there is no need to draw gas from the reserves and assured that Polish consumers will not be left without gas.
Flows from other sources will replace Gazprom's supplies, Polish Energy Security Minister Piot Naimsky said, adding that the contract for the Yamal pipeline was due to expire in December anyway.
Earlier, the Polish state-owned oil and gas company stressed that the interruption of gas supply by Gazprom constituted a breach of contract and said it had every right to claim compensation.
