Russian energy giant Gazprom has complained of ongoing problems with a gas turbine that it has claimed is critical to restoring regular gas flows to Germany.
The turbine was brought from Canada to Germany, rather than directly to Russia, without previous consultation with Gazprom, the state-owned company's deputy head Vitaly Markelov told Russian state television station Rossiya-24.
Moscow can only accept the repaired turbine if it receives guarantees from the EU and Britain that Western sanctions do not apply, he said.
Markelov did not explain why the turbine could not simply be accepted directly by the Russian side.
The turbine has been the main player in a weeks-long saga about dwindling natural gas flows, in what top German and European Union officials say is a politically motivated move by Moscow that is fuelling an energy crisis in Europe.
Germany depends heavily on gas from Russia, and the reduction of supplies in recent days is causing great anxiety about the coming winter and the effects of any shortages on industry and the public.
Berlin has accused Moscow of using the turbine as a pretext for power games, in retaliation for sanctions imposed by Western governments for Russia's war on Ukraine, now in its sixth month.
Moscow has repeatedly blamed the piece of equipment for the cuts to gas flows, denying that it is a response to Western sanctions over the invasion of Ukraine.
