However, Austria assures that citizens will not be left in the cold. Contrary to earlier declarations about stopping gas import from Russia to Austria,

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,

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

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.

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.

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.

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 .