Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Sunday accused Germany of waging a “hybrid war” against Russia, justifying the suspension of gas supplies to Berlin by its “unfriendly” behavior amid the conflict in Ukraine.
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The reports come as relations between Germany and Russia, already weighed down by the conflict in Ukraine, further strained after Moscow suspended supplies to Berlin via the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
“German Chancellor Olaf Scholes says, ‘Russia is no longer a reliable energy supplier.’ First, Germany is an unfriendly country, and second, it has imposed economic sanctions on the entire Russian economy … and it supplies Ukraine with dangerous weapons,” Medvedev said in a message posted on Telegram. .
“In other words, he has declared a hybrid war against Russia. Germany is behaving as Russia’s enemy,” he added. “And this uncle (Mr. Scholz) is surprised that the Germans have so little trouble with gas,” he pretended to be surprised.
On Friday, Russian gas giant Gazprom officially announced a total shutdown of supplies via the Nord Stream gas pipeline after an oil leak was discovered in a turbine.
Europeans supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia’s aggression believe that Moscow is using this pretext to make them vulnerable to energy threats as winter approaches and many countries fear shortages.
Despite relying heavily on Russian hydrocarbons, Germany “can weather this winter,” Mr. Scholes assured that Russia is no longer a “reliable energy supplier”.
Russian officials blame European leaders for gas supply difficulties, ensuring that sanctions imposed on Moscow for its aggression against Ukraine have deprived it of equipment that ensures proper operation of the Nord Stream gas pipeline.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that European leaders have “ridiculous” management of the gas crisis. “These politicians die of strokes when their citizens see their electricity bills explode,” he quipped.
