‘Crucial’ Nord Stream turbine still waiting to be picked up by Russia / The New Voice of Ukraine

The gas turbine for the Nord Stream pipeline is still in a packaged state in the German city of Mülheim an der Ruhr.

The turbine is ready for operation, but “Russia continues to nitpick on documents with incomprehensible claims,” the representative of Siemens said.

The representative also said that the delay in shipping the turbine to Russia was not related to the shallowing of rivers in Europe due to the recent heatwave, as the unit is to be transported to Russia by road.

Previously, Siemens Energy stated that the turbine, which, according to Russia’s giant state gas company Gazprom, is necessary for the operation of the Nord Stream pipeline, is ready for shipment. At the same time, the monopolist has not provided the required paperwork.

Gazprom announced on July 25 that gas pumping through the Nord Stream would be reduced to one-fifth of its capacity from July 27. Moscow said this was due to delays in the return of the turbine for the gas pipeline from repairs in Canada, as well as the breakdown of other units.

Canada officially agreed to return the sanctioned turbine for Russia’s Nord Stream pipeline to Germany on July 11, despite Ukraine’s objections.

After that, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summoned Canada’s Chargé d’affaires and stated that the decision undermines Euro-Atlantic unity in the application of international sanctions against Russia. Canada was urged to review the decision.

The Siemens turbine had been sent for repair to Canada, but became “stuck” there due to sanctions against Russia’s oil and gas industry, introduced after the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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