Kremlin: Russia does not use oil or gas as instrument of political pressure

"We completely reject any hints or direct statements that the Russian side is using oil or gas as an instrument of political pressure. This is not so. Russia is consistently fulfilling all its obligations," Russian President's Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, as quoted by Report's Russian Bureau.

Peskov noted that Russia guarantees Europe's energy security: "Russia is able to guarantee the complete energy security of Europe and the absence of sky-high bills for electricity, heat, etc., which are now received by taxpayers in European countries."

He stressed that there are certain routine maintenance works on gas pipelines that are carried out every year and no one has invented anything new.