• Russian energy company Gazprom claims it will be impossible to reclaim a turbine critical to gas deliveries to Europe.
• The turbine is stranded in Germany after returning from Canada, where it was serviced.
• Moscow claims it can only reinstall the turbine after receiving documentation proving that the turbine is not subject to Western sanctions.

Due to Western sanctions, Russian energy company Gazprom claims it will be impossible to reclaim a turbine critical to gas deliveries to Europe.

The 12m (40ft) turbine is stranded in Germany after returning from Canada, where it was serviced.

Berlin claims that the equipment is not affected by the sanctions and accuses Russia of failing to honour its contracts for political reasons.

Gazprom has recently substantially curtailed gas exports to Europe.

The important Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Russia to Germany is operating at 20% capacity.

Last year, Moscow supplied the EU with 40% of its natural gas, and the cuts have led wholesale prices to skyrocket.

Some countries are having difficulty purchasing enough gas to store for the winter months, when gas use is substantially higher.

Chancellor Scholz visited the Siemens Energy factory where the turbine is stranded on Wednesday and stated that the turbine was ready to be delivered back to Russia at any time.

“But someone has to say, ‘I want it,'” he added.

Moscow claims it can only reinstall the turbine – and so improve gas supply – after receiving documentation proving that the turbine is not subject to Western sanctions.

Gas flows through Nord Stream 1, a major Russia-Germany pipeline, have been regularly restricted by Gazprom:

Within a day following Russia’s announcement last week, the wholesale price of gas in Europe had risen.

Berlin claims there are no technical reasons for Gazprom’s supply restrictions, and the EU describes the latest cut as “politically driven.”

Germany imported 26 percent of its gas from Russia as of late June.

It has sought alternative supply, implemented usage reduction measures, and informed citizens that their energy prices will rise.

Germany halted the construction of another parallel pipeline, Nord Stream 2, in response to Russian actions in Ukraine.

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