1/3 of Russian gas in Ukraine to be shut off

AP , Tuesday 10 May 2022

Ukraine's gas transmission operator says it will shut off almost a third of Russian gas transported through the country onward to Europe over Moscow's war on the country.

GTS of Ukraine
The gas transportation system of Ukraine (GTS of Ukraine). Photo courtesy of Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine official website.

The Ukrainian GTS made the announcement Tuesday in a statement posted to its website. It said that the war made it impossible to reach areas of its system to ensure its safety, particularly in Russian-held areas of the Luhansk region.

The company said it would halt some 32.6 million cubic meters of gas per day with the decision. It described the situation as ``force majeure,'' a legal term used for so-called ``acts of God'' that prevent contracts from being carried out.

It said the shutoff would begin at 7 a.m. Wednesday and that it would offer Russia the chance to try to reroute gas through another crossing held by the Ukrainian government.

The operator said: ``The company repeatedly informed Gazprom about gas transit threats due to the actions of the Russian-controlled occupation forces and stressed stopping interference in the operation of the facilities, but these appeals were ignored.''

There was no immediate reaction from Moscow yet.

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