Russia halts gas supplies to Poland, media claims

Russia has suspended natural gas deliveries to Poland via the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline, Polish news portal Onet reported on Tuesday, citing sources within the Polish government and state energy company PGNiG.  

The information has not been officially confirmed by Moscow or Warsaw.

According to the publication, a crisis group has been set up in the Ministry of Climate Affairs. Sources claim that Russia did not inform the Polish side of the halt to deliveries in advance.

Earlier on Tuesday, Poland imposed a new round of sanctions against Russian state energy giant Gazprom, which owns a 48% stake in a Polish company that co-owns the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline.

In addition, a Polish government representative for strategic energy infrastructure, Piotr Naimsky, said that Warsaw does not intend to pay for Russian gas in rubles, which is required under the new payment mechanism introduced by Moscow earlier this month.

Gas prices in Europe jumped sharply following the report, soaring 12% to $1,150 per 1,000 cubic meters, according to the London ICE exchange.

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