Russia has cut off gas deliveries to Finland.

Russia has cut off gas supplies to Finland, the latest escalation in a dispute with the West over energy payments.

Gazprom, Russia’s largest gas company, has warned that the supply would be turned off at 04:00 GMT on Saturday.

Finland later confirmed that all deliveries had ceased, but that clients would not be inconvenienced.

Helsinki has refused to pay in roubles for its supplies. However, the deadline coincides with Finland’s statement that it will apply to join NATO.

Russia continues to supply gas to numerous European countries despite its invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Following Western sanctions over the war, Russia announced that “unfriendly” countries must pay for gas in Russian currency, a decision that the EU has condemned.

The majority of Finland’s gas is imported from Russia, yet gas accounts for less than a tenth of the country’s total energy use.

“The amount of gas required by the Finnish gas market is imported into the Finnish gas system through the Balticconnector entry point, based on market participants’ nominations. Gasgrid Finland has diverted gas imports through the Balticconnector, bringing the gas system back into balance “it stated.

The Russian move was previously regarded as “very unfortunate” by the Finnish state-owned energy company Gasum.

“However, we have been carefully prepared for this circumstance, and given that the gas transmission network is not disrupted, we will be able to supply all of our customers with gas in the next months,” Gasum CEO Mika Wiljanen said.