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Photo: Sergei Ilnitsky/ dpa
If Gazprom boss Alexej Miller has his way, his company is very reliable when it comes to energy supplies.
At least that applies "to the friends of Russia."
Those who, according to the Russian state-owned company, do not belong could hear different things at the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg - including vague threats to the West.
Gazprom had recently throttled the maximum daily volume of gas deliveries to Germany by around 60 percent.
The step was justified by delays in repair work by the energy technology group Siemens Energy.
A problem with no immediate solution, as Miller now announced: "The turbine is in the factory, Siemens cannot pick it up, and not all other turbines fit."
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens), on the other hand, suspects a political decision behind the delivery stop.
»Our product, our rules«
As an alternative to the turbine, which is said to be in need of repair, Gazprom is offering the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is "theoretically ready for use," said Miller.
A poisoned offer: The project had been shut down as a result of Russia's war against Ukraine.
In general, Gazprom claims to act according to its own laws when it comes to gas supplies.
"Our product, our rules," Miller said on the sidelines of the business forum.
"We don't play by rules that we didn't make." The company's gas exports to countries that do not belong to the former Soviet Union have fallen by 28.9 percent since the beginning of the year.
However, this will be offset by “massive price increases”.
In this respect, he has no problem with it – on the contrary.
euros to rubles
Miller described the recent sharp rise in prices as an opportunity for Russia.
The "world financial system" has lost control over the flow of goods and has become the generator of a powerful inflationary impulse, he said.
»The contour of the new economic structure will be determined by the Russian Federation.«
Gazprom has already halted supplies to Poland, Bulgaria, Finland and the Netherlands because they refuse to pay for gas in rubles under EU sanctions decisions.
According to Germany, it also pays in euros, but Gazprom Bank de facto converts the payments into ruble payments.
rai/dpa