Europe fears ‘winter of disconnect’
Russia declares ‘force majeure’ on gas supplies
Gazprom has declared “force majeure” on gas supplies to Europe, heightening fears of a complete cut-off that could trigger energy shortages across the continent this winter.
Russia’s state-controlled energy giant wrote in a letter to at least one European customer that it can no longer fulfil its supply obligations because of “extraordinary” circumstances outside its control.
The Kremlin, hit by western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, has sought to curtail gas supplies to Europe as leverage to pressure governments into relaxing the measures.
Panicked EU governments are preparing for the possibility of a “winter of disconnect” without their usual supplies of Russian fossil fuels to heat homes and keep factories open.
It came as Russia’s defence minister ordered its forces to prioritise strikes on precision weapons that have crippled efforts to restart its stalled offensive in the Donbas. On a visit to Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartlands, Sergei Shoigu, told soldiers to focus on the “destruction” of US mobile rocket launchers, which have been credited for hits on more than a dozen Russian ammunition depots deep behind their lines.
Away from the battlefield, European governments accused Moscow of “weaponising” gas supply to further exacerbate Europe’s cost of living crisis in retaliation for sanctions.
EU diplomats believe the Kremlin is trying to deploy a “divide and rule” tactic to pick off individual member states struggling with ever-increasing gas prices.
Last week, the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, operated by Gazprom, was shut down for 10 days for maintenance, prompting fears Russian President Vladimir Putin could simply order the taps to be turned off. According to an internal EU analysis, the pipeline is expected to come “back online in a reduced capacity to keep gas prices for the EU as high as possible”.
Sources said the letter sent by
Gazprom relates to Nord Stream 1, which hasn’t run at full capacity since the middle of June, after a turbine being refurbished in Canada was blocked to sanctions on Russia.
The memo said the “force majeure” clause, a measure invoked when a business is hit by something out of its control, was effective from deliveries starting from June 14.
“Force majeure” refers to unexpected external events, such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters, that prevent a company from meeting its obligations to a contract.
Ottawa has since agreed to send the component to Germany amid fears Berlin could be crippled without Russian gas supplies this winter.
But this has prompted fears other European governments could consider flouting western sanctions in order to protect their economies.
In a warning to wavering European capitals, Josep Borrell, the EU’S top diplomat, yesterday said: “You cannot put this on the same level of the losses of human lives or the destruction of Ukraine. ”
For the first time, Putin yesterday acknowledged western sanctions are having a “colossal” impact on Russia’s high-tech sector.
The Kremlin was faced with more battlefield woes in its attempt to restart the stalled offensive in the Donbas region of Ukraine. Social media footage showed a huge explosion above the town of Nova Kakhovka, which Ukrainians sources said was a hit on a Russian munitions dump.
— Telegraph Group Ltd