Zelenskyy says Russia is waging a 'gas war' against Europe as Gazprom further restricts energy flows, sending prices soaring

• Russia threatened to further restrict natural-gas flows to Europe.
• Ukraine's president said Russia is waging a "gas war" against Europe and doesn't care how people "suffer."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of waging a "gas war" against Europe after Russia said it would further restrict gas supply to the continent.

Zelenskyy said on Monday that Russia was doing everything it can "to make it as difficult as possible for Europeans to prepare for winter."

"This is an overt gas war that Russia is waging against a united Europe — this is exactly how it should be perceived. And they don't care what will happen to the people, how they will suffer — from hunger due to the blocking of ports or from winter cold and poverty ... Or from occupation. These are just different forms of terror."

Gazprom, the Russian state-owned energy company, said it would cut back its supply to Europe from Wednesday.

It said would cut natural gas flows through Nord Stream 1 to 20% of capacity, having already slashed shipments to 40% of its typical capacity. Natural-gas prices jumped 17% after Gazprom's threat.

The company blamed European sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine and necessary repair works, but European leaders said Russia was using energy supplies as a political weapon, Insider's Harry Robertson reported.

"The gas blackmail of Europe, which only gets worse every month, is needed by a terrorist state to make life worse for every European," Zelenskyy said.

He added that European countries should "hit back" with more sanctions to "limit Russian revenues not only from gas and oil, but also from any remaining exports."

German Economy Minister Robert Habeck told the DPA news agency that Russian President Vladimir Putin "is trying to weaken the great support for Ukraine and drive a wedge into our society," the Associated Press reported.

"To do this, he stirs up uncertainty and drives up prices. We are countering this with unity and concentrated action."

Germany's flow of energy of Russia was aided by Canada's returning a turbine that it had been sent for repairs to Germany for the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.

Canada waived its own sanctions to do this, in a move Zelenskyy called "absolutely unacceptable" on Monday.