Russia lying over gas supply problems, Italy's Draghi says

Russia was lying when it blamed a recent fall in gas exports on technical problems, Italian Prime Mario Draghi said on Thursday, accusing Moscow of using its gas supplies for political reasons. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier that reductions in supply over the past two days were not premeditated but were related to maintenance issues. But during a visit to Kyiv, Draghi dismissed this explanation.

Russia was lying when it blamed a recent fall in gas exports on technical problems, Italian Prime Mario Draghi said on Thursday, accusing Moscow of using its gas supplies for political reasons.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said earlier that reductions in supply over the past two days were not premeditated but were related to maintenance issues.

But during a visit to Kyiv, Draghi dismissed this explanation. "Both Germany and us, and others, believe these are lies. In reality they are making a political use of gas like they are using grain for political use," he said.