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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of using energy as a weapon, continuing to shut down vital pipelines to Germany in recent days, threatening power and natural gas shortages ahead of the winter months. made it worse.
“Russia wants to destroy the normal life of all Europeans in every country on the European continent,” Zelensky said in a speech Saturday night.
“If Russia cannot do it with the power of conventional weapons, it will do it with the power of energy weapons. We are preparing for a decisive energy attack on all Europeans.”
Russian energy company Gazprom has blamed technical problems for this week’s shutdown of Nord Stream 1, saying oil leaks in turbines need to be fixed before natural gas flows can resume.
Germany’s Siemens Energy, which makes the turbines used by Nord Stream 1, has dismissed Gazprom’s explanation for the shutdown, saying it can fix turbine leaks while gas is flowing.
Ukrainian Atomic Energy Agency warns of risk of hydrogen, radioactive leak following Zaporizhia power plant damage
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine for soaring energy prices, but Norway and the United States are now offering natural gas to energy-scarce European nations. said to supply.
Von der Leyen said Friday: “We see the electricity market no longer working because of the serious disruption caused by Putin’s manipulation.
Parts of Ukraine have recently experienced power outages due to fighting around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest.
The plant was temporarily disconnected from the last main external power line on Saturday, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
A 14-member delegation from the United Nations Atomic Energy Agency visited the besieged factory this week to assess the damage.
Russian forces took over the facility in March, but Ukrainian staff at the factory continue to operate.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.