Despite Austria's announcements about halting the import of Russian gas, deliveries have only slightly decreased. A decision regarding the transit agreement with Ukraine, which could affect the resource flow,

Russia's natural gas exports through Ukraine to Europe have been stable on Thursday, Kremlin-controlled gas giant Gazprom said, despite a contractual row with Austrian energy company OMV .

Austria's chancellor says Russia’s state-owned natural gas company Gazrom will cut off supplies early Saturday to Austrian utility OMV.

Russia considers the cessation of gas supplies to Austria to be entirely justified, the Foreign Ministry in Moscow said on Thursday. "We do not intend to engage in charity in this case," said ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova,

Russian gas flows to Austria were suspended for a second day on Sunday because of a pricing dispute, but other buyers in Europe stepped in to snap up unsold volumes, companies and sources said and data showed.

Austrian utility OMV says supplies from Russia’s state-owned natural gas company Gazprom stopped early Saturday after the company said it would stop payments for the gas following an arbitration award.

Gazprom halted supply to Austria's OMV on Saturday over a contractual dispute, the Vienna-based company said, while Gazprom has not commented. It is not clear where the gas volumes intended for OMV have been redirected.

European natural gas extended a rally to trade near the highest this year as geopolitical tensions escalated, with Ukraine’s forces firing British cruise missiles at military targets inside Russia for the first time.