Brussels, 2 September 2022 (dpa/MIA) - The European Commission has accused Russian state-owned energy firm Gazprom of stopping the flow of gas through the Nord Stream 1 Baltic Sea pipeline to Germany on false pretexts. "Gazprom’s announcement this afternoon that it is once again shutting down [Nord Stream 1] under fallacious pretenses is another confirmation of its unreliability as a supplier," a European Commission spokesperson wrote on Twitter on Friday evening. "It’s also proof of Russia’s cynicism, as it prefers to flare gas instead of honoring contracts." Gazprom had previously announced that it would not resume the flow of gas via Nord Stream 1 after maintenance as announced. The reason was an oil leak at the Portovaya compressor station. The gas flow will remain stopped until the problem is resolved, it said. It had been expected that gas would flow through the pipeline again from Saturday morning after the completion of the announced three-day period of maintenance work.