Peskov: Sanctions against Russia complicate the repair of Nord Stream pipeline 

MOSCOW, July 26. (ST)-. Russia hopes that the repaired Nord Stream turbine will be returned and installed “sooner rather than later,” Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday.

“Yes, indeed, there are some troubles with the turbines. The turbine has not yet arrived and has not been installed after the overhaul. It is on its way. Let’s hope that this will happen sooner rather than later. But there are also some problems with another turbine,” he said, noting that Gazprom is working on this issue.

Peskov noted that the situation has been “seriously complicated by the restrictions and sanctions that have been imposed against the Russian Federation.”

“Had it not been for these restrictions, all repair, warranty, and service work would have been carried out in the usual operational manner, without leading to such situations that we are seeing now,” he maintained.

The spokesman added that the Kremlin “will ask colleagues at Gazprom from a technological point of view to provide explanations” on the matter.

“We will turn to our colleagues at Gazprom so that they make a statement,” he said.

In this context, the Russian Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday at the press conference in conclusion of the visit to Uganda : “ The West cannot clearly explain to Russia what the status of Siemens turbines for the Nord Stream gas pipeline is.”

“Nobody can clearly explain in documents what the status, firstly, is for this turbine and other turbines that should undergo scheduled maintenance in Canada,” Lavrov said.

The gas throughput rate of the Nord Stream pipeline is just 40% (67 mln cubic meters daily) of the maximal capacity since mid-June due to the untimely return of the gas turbine by Siemens after maintenance because of Canadian sanctions against Russia.

Compiled  by: Basma Qaddour