MOSCOW, Russia
Russian gas began flowing to Europe via a major pipeline on Thursday after a 10-day pause but fears of broader supply cuts remained and Russian forces in Ukraine were seen eyeing the capture of the country’s second biggest power plant.
Russian troops shelled cities across eastern and southern Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said, and hit two schools as Moscow’s forces carried out limited ground operations in preparation for what is seen as a wider offensive.
Reuters was unable to immediately verify Ukrainian assertions about Russian shelling, which they say has been intense for several weeks, and it was not immediately clear if anyone had been hurt in the strikes on the schools.
The resumption of gas flows via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany ended a nerve-jangling 10 days for Europe in which politicians expressed concern Russia might not restart them at a time when alternative energy supplies are tight and prices high.
The pipeline has traditionally carried more than one third of Russia’s gas exports to Europe but was operating at only 40% of its capacity after Kremlin-controlled Gazprom cut gas exports in a row over the repair of a turbine.
“In view of the missing 60% (capacity) and the political instability, there is no reason yet to give the all-clear,” Klaus Mueller, president of Germany’s network regulator, wrote on Twitter.
European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has accused Russia of trying to blackmail Europe by using energy as a weapon, something Moscow, which is unable to swiftly redirect all of its gas to other markets, has denied.
