Russian gas supplies to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline will be suspended for three days, from August 31 to September 2, for “preventive maintenance”, Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Friday, according to AFP.

“Maintenance is required every 1,000 hours” of operation, according to Gazprom’s press release. The decision risks reigniting deficit fears in Europe, where Moscow has been accused of energy blackmail.

Russian gas giant Gazprom said on Tuesday that the price of natural gas in Europe could rise 60 percent to more than $4,000 per 1,000 cubic meters this winter, as the company’s exports and output continue to fall amid Western sanctions.

Gas flows from Russia, a major supplier to Europe, have fallen this year after the route was shut down when Moscow sent troops into Ukraine in February and after sanctions fueled a dispute over equipment for the Northern gas pipeline Stream 1.

Kyiv closed one of Gazprom’s routes for exports to Europe, and Gazprom cut supplies to Germany by just 20 percent of the capacity of its Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline over an equipment dispute.

In general, Gazprom’s gas exports from January 1 to August 15, 2022 fell by 36.2% to 78.5 billion cubic meters, and production fell by 13.2% to 274.8 billion cubic meters compared to last year, according to the press release Gazprom company release.