From: slider@anashram.com   
      
   BERLIN - Pressure on Europe to secure alternative gas supplies increased   
   on Thursday as Moscow imposed sanctions on European subsidiaries of   
   state-owned Gazprom a day after Ukraine stopped a major gas transit route.   
      
   Gas prices surged, with the key European benchmark gaining 12% as buyers   
   were unsettled by the mounting threats to Europe's supply given its high   
   dependence on Russia.   
      
   Moscow has already cut off supply to Bulgaria and Poland and countries are   
   racing to fill dwindling gas reserves before winter.   
      
   Russia imposed sanctions late Wednesday mainly on Gazprom's European   
   subsidiaries including Gazprom Germania, an energy trading, storage and   
   transmission business that Germany placed under trusteeship last month to   
   secure supplies.   
      
   It also placed sanctions on the owner of the Polish part of the   
   Yamal-Europe pipeline that carries Russian gas to Europe.   
      
   Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said there can be no relations with the   
   companies affected nor can they take part in supplying Russian gas.   
      
   The affected entities, listed on a Russian government website, are largely   
   based in countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia in response to   
   its invasion of Ukraine, most of them members of the European Union.   
      
   Germany, Russia's top client in Europe, said some subsidiaries of Gazprom   
   Germania were receiving no gas because of the sanctions.   
      
   If sanctioned firms cannot operate, other companies such as gas utilities   
   could take over contracts, which would likely involve agreeing new terms   
   with Gazprom, including for payment, said Henning Gloystein, director at   
   Eurasia Group.   
      
   Gazprom said it would no longer be able to export gas through Poland via   
   the Yamal-Europe pipeline after sanctions against EuRoPol Gaz, which owns   
   the Polish section.   
      
   Dutch gas prices at the TTF hub, the European benchmark, rose by as much   
   as 20% before closing 12% higher. The benchmark has skyrocketed over the   
   past year, adding to the burden on households and businesses.   
      
   Although German gas storage is around 40% full, that is still low for the   
   time of year and inventories need to be built up in preparation for winter.   
      
   Moscow's sanctions came just a day after Ukraine halted a gas transit   
   route, blaming interference by occupying Russian forces, the first time   
   exports via Ukraine have been disrupted since the invasion.   
      
   The Sokhranovka gas transit point will not be re-opened until Kyiv obtains   
   full control over its pipeline system, the head of operator GTSOU said,   
   adding that flows could be re-directed to the alternative Sudzha transit   
   point, although Gazprom has said this is not technologically possible.   
      
   There is also confusion still among EU gas companies over a payment scheme   
   decreed by Moscow in March which the European Commission has said would   
   breach EU sanctions.   
      
   Germany's top power producer, RWE, expects Berlin to soon clarify whether   
   payments for Russian gas can be made under Moscow's proposed scheme, its   
   finance chief said on Thursday, as a deadline approaches at the end of the   
   month.   
      
   Russia's demand for payment in roubles has been rejected by most European   
   gas buyers over the details of the process, which requires opening   
   accounts with Gazprombank, fuelling fears about potential supply   
   disruptions and their far-reaching consequences for Europe and   
   particularly Germany, which relies heavily on Russian gas.   
      
   https://www.zawya.com/en/special-coverage/politics-of-oil/europe   
   -gas-supply-crisis-grows-after-russia-imposes-sanctions-kkrn98hj   
      
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