Supplies of Russian natural gas to Armenia will be halted from September 15 to 25 due to scheduled maintenance and repair work on the North Caucasus–Transcaucasia main gas pipeline, Gazprom Armenia announced.

The company assured that consumers would not face supply restrictions during the suspension. The necessary gas volumes will be secured through domestic reserves and additional supplies from Iran. A similar suspension occurred in Armenia during the second half of September last year, also due to scheduled repairs.

The supply suspension comes against the backdrop of a marked deterioration in relations between Russia and Armenia. Moscow has sharply criticized Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s policy of moving closer to the West and is demanding that Yerevan clarify its future participation in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), given its aspirations to join the EU.

On September 11, Pashinyan stated that Yerevan is seeking alternative gas sources, regardless of the price of Russian gas. He noted that the cost of gas for Armenian consumers remains high, with a significant portion of the price increase occurring after the gas crosses the border. The Prime Minister also pointed to the high profits recorded by Gazprom Armenia.

Earlier, Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov stated that preferential gas supply terms for Armenia could be revised in favor of market-based pricing if the country were to withdraw from the EAEU.