Despite record-high natural gas production, Russia has not been sending much above its contractual obligations to Europe this winter season. In the fourth quarter of 2021, Russia’s pipeline exports declined by close to 25 percent annually due to lower transit flows via Belarus and Ukraine. Gazprom’s natural gas exports to countries outside the former Soviet Union plunged by 41.3 percent year over year in January 2022, the Russian gas giant said on Tuesday, while it also reported a 1-percent annual increase in its gas production. “The Company’s gas deliveries are carried out as requested by consumers in full compliance with contractual obligations,” said Gazprom, while Russia is being accused of deliberately withholding gas supplies to Europe, where inventory levels have sunk to historic lows. According to Gazprom, which cites data from Gas Infrastructure Europe, working gas inventories in Europe’s underground gas storage facilities were lagging behind last year’s level […]