Europe short of gas as Russia, Ukraine wrangle

MOSCOW, Jan 27 – Much of Europe and parts of the former Soviet Union battled energy shortages on Friday as Russia failed to pump enough gas to meet demand that was boosted by unusually cold winter weather.

Russia supplies a quarter of the region’s gas needs and, until this year, had been a dependable supplier.
But a pricing row with Ukraine, transit route for 80 percent of Russia’s gas exports, and a cold snap persisting in major consuming nations, has hit supplies to industry and households across the continent.

Worst off was the ex-Soviet state of Georgia, where mystery explosions on gas export pipelines in southern Russia have cut supplies. Many people on Friday could not cook a hot meal or heat their homes.

Reuters