Gas prices have soared after Russia further cut gas supplies to Germany and other central European countries after threatening to earlier this week.

European gas prices rose almost 2%, trading close to the record high set after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Critics accuse the Russian government of using gas as a political weapon.

Russia has been cutting flows through the Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany, with it now operating at less than a fifth of its normal capacity.

Before the Ukraine War, Germany imported over half of its gas from Russia and most of it came through Nord Stream 1 – with the rest coming from land-based pipelines.

By the end of June, that had reduced to just over a quarter.

Russian energy firm Gazprom has sought to justify the latest cut by saying it was needed to allow maintenance work on a turbine.

The German government, however, said there was no technical reason for it to limit the supply.