Russia’s gas giant Gazprom said on Thursday it would no longer be able to export gas through Poland via the Yamal-Europe pipeline due to Moscow’s sanctions on the owner of the pipeline’s Polish section, Reuters news agency has reported citing the Russian company.
According to Reuters, Gazprom said that a ban on transactions with certain entities announced by the Russian authorities means that the company will not be able to use the Yamal gas pipeline to transport gas through Poland.
On Wednesday, Russia imposed sanctions on Gazprom’s European companies, including Poland’s EuRoPol Gaz, the owner of the Polish section of the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline, in which the Russian giant has 48 percent.
Under the regulation, dated May 11, the Russian government bans all transactions and payments to the entities on the list, and freezes their assets. At the same time, the regulation stipulates that the Russian Ministry of Finance will be able to temporarily authorise certain operations with entities subject to sanctions.
Gas transit to the West via the Yamal pipeline has significantly decreased since October 2021. Since December 2021, gas from Gazprom to Germany has practically not been shipped via this route.
The flow of Yamal gas ceased when the Russian company stopped deliveries to Poland on April 27 quoting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree that ordered payments for Russian gas be made in roubles, a demand Poland rejected.
On April 26, as part of the sanctions for Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the Polish government froze Gazprom’s rights to shares and dividends on shares in EuRoPol Gaz.