Kremlin: Europe is to blame for Nord Stream 1 shutdown

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Nord Stream AG is seen at an office building in the town of Vyborg, Leningrad Region, Russia August 22, 2022. REUTERS/Anton Vaganov/

(Reuters) - The Kremlin on Monday said that Western sanctions were to blame for a complete shutdown of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline between Russia and Germany.

In a conference call with reporters, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said sanctions were "causing chaos" in terms of maintenance work on the pipeline and rejected claims Russia had turned off supplies to Europe as a political move.