Russia preparing to inflict decisive blow to Europe’s energy supply – Zelenskyy

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO – SATURDAY, 3 SEPTEMBER 2022, 21:47

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine believes that Russia is preparing to land a decisive blow to the European energy supply this winter.

Source: President Zelenskyy’s video address

Quote: "Russia is preparing for a decisive energy attack on all Europeans this winter.

And the key responses to this should be two things. First, our unity, unity in defending ourselves against the terrorist state. And second, increasing the pressure we put on Russia. This includes increasing sanctions at all levels, and limiting Russia's oil and gas revenues.

The more blows we all inflict together, the fewer blows these terrorists will be able to inflict [on us]."

Details: Zelenskyy added that "Russia is trying to increase energy pressure on Europe even more" as it completely halted the supply of gas through the Nord Stream pipeline.

"Why are they doing this? Russia wants to destroy the normal life of every European – in all countries on our continent. It wants to weaken and intimidate the entire Europe, every state. Wherever Russia cannot do it by force of conventional weapons, it does so by force of energy weapons. It is trying to use poverty and political chaos where it cannot yet use missiles," President Zelenskyy said.

He added that in order to ensure this does not happen, European countries need to foster "even more unity, even more coordination, even more mutual help".

Previously: On the evening of 2 September, Gazprom, the Russian state-owned energy corporation, halted the flow of gas via the Nord Stream pipeline, allegedly due to a malfunction detected in the Portovaya compressor station [near St. Petersburg, Russia] – the only remaining compressor station that has not been shut off until now.

The European Commission called Gazprom’s announcement "another confirmation of [Russia’s] unreliability as a supplier" and a "proof of Russia’s cynicism".

Siemens Energy, the German energy company, said that the gas leak that Gazprom claimed was the reason for the pipeline’s shutdown was not a sufficient technical ground for the halting of Nord Stream gas flow.

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