(FILES) In this file photo taken on August 3, 2022 a turbine of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline is pictured at the plant of Siemens Energy in Muelheim an der Ruhr, western Germany, where the engine is stored after maintenance work in Canada. - Russia has halted gas deliveries to Germany via a key pipeline for an indefinite period, after saying on September 2, 2022 that it had found problems in a key piece of equipment, a development that will worsen Europe's energy crisis. Russian gas giant Gazprom said Friday that the Nord Stream pipeline due to reopen at the weekend would remain shut until a turbine is repaired. In a statement, Gazprom indicated it had discovered "oil leaks" in a turbine during a planned three-day maintenance operation. Gazprom added that "until it is repaired... the transport of gas via Nord Stream is completely suspended". (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN / AFP)

Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck is preparing for the fact that Russia will no longer supply gas to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. “There is still a bit of gas coming through the Ukraine pipeline, but Nord Stream 1 being reopened is not one of the scenarios I assume,” said the Greens politician on Monday evening on ZDF’s “heute journal”.

The Russian state-owned company Gazprom did not resume gas deliveries to Europe on Saturday after scheduled maintenance on the turbine. The company attributes the delivery stop via the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline to an alleged design flaw in the Siemens Energy turbine used.

Oil is leaking from the Trent 60 turbine at Russia’s Portovaya pumping station in a place where it is very hot, Gazprom wrote on Monday. The oil could ignite; then the risk of explosion threatens the safety of the entire pumping station. Doubts about this version were expressed in the West and a political background for the delivery stop was suspected.

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