Russia's Gazprom sent warning notices to Poland and Bulgaria threatening to cut off gas shipments as of Wednesday, after the two countries refused to start paying for supplies in roubles.
EU data showed supplies to Poland through the Yamal pipeline stopped briefly early in the day before resuming.
"On April 26, 2022, Gazprom informed PGNiG of its intention to completely suspend deliveries under the Yamal contract ... on April 27," Poland's PGNiG gas firm said in a statement late Tuesday.
PGNiG said Warsaw was prepared to obtain necessary supplies from other sources.
These would include "gas connections on the western and southern borders and the LNG Terminal in Swinoujscie", a port on the East Sea near Szczecin.
The PGNiG statement reassured Polish customers that Russian gas would be replaced by "domestic gas production", adding that gas storage facilties were about 80 percent full – "significantly higher than in the corresponding period in previous years".
The short-term challenge is geographically matching supply and demand, eg:
— Ben McWilliams (@McwilliamsBen) January 27, 2022
- Eastern countries are more dependent on Russian pipes.
- The Iberian Peninsula is a hub for LNG imports.
Key constraints are gas import/transit infrastructure and ultimately, political solidarity. pic.twitter.com/UKV1gVQdcX
Meanwhile Gazprom also told Bulgaria that it woulld halt its shipments of Russian gas as of Wednesday, the Bulgarian Economy Ministry announced.
"Bulgargaz received a notification today, April 26, that natural gas supplies from Gazprom Export will be suspended starting April 27," said the ministry in the Balkan country, which is highly dependent on Russian gas.
"The Bulgarian side has fully met its obligations and has made all payments required under its current contract in a timely manner, strictly and in accordance with its terms."
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, warned that Russia had begun the "gas blackmail of Europe”, adding that Russia was seeking to shatter the unity of Ukrainian allies.
"Russia is also proving that energy resources are a weapon. That is why the EU needs to be united and impose an embargo on energy resources, depriving the Russians of their energy weapons,” Yermak said.
