Russia blocks oil flow to Europe

MINSK, Belarus, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Russia stopped delivering oil to Europe through Belarus because it says Belarus illegally siphoned oil from a pipeline, a senior Russian official said Monday.

Russian Deputy Trade and Economic Development Minister Andrei Sharonov told the Vesti Russian news channel it would not let oil flow through the Druzhba -- Friendship -- pipeline to eastern and central Europe, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

"We view this situation as force majeure," he said, referring to a common contract clause that frees one or both sides from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond their control prevents them from fulfilling their contract obligations.

Poland, Germany and Ukraine were affected by the disruption.

Russia more than doubled its natural gas price for Belarus to $100 per 1,000 cubic meters Jan. 1 and imposed an oil-export duty of $180.70 per metric ton, the RIA-Novosti news agency said. Belarus responded Jan. 3 by introducing a transit duty fee of $45 per metric ton of Russian oil.

Sharonov said Belarus siphoned off 79,000 metric tons of oil from the pipeline since Jan. 6 to pay for the transit fee.

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