Gazprom cut gas deliveries to the Alpine nation in a row over compensation linked to previous supply issues. DW explores how the disruption could affect European energy security this winter.

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.

STORY: Russia's invasion of Ukraine roiled the energy supply network of Europe as EU nations outraged by the war looked to buy gas supplies elsewhere. But enduring European demand for cheap Russian gas was apparent after Russia's state energy firm Gazprom over the weekend halted fuel deliveries meant for Austria,

Russian gas exports through Ukraine to Europe - the main transit route for the gas to the EU - were stable on Monday, according to Kremlin-controlled energy company Gazprom , despite the company cutting off gas supplies to Austria's OMV .

Moscow's suspension of gas for Austria, the main receiver of gas via Ukraine, means Russia will now only supply significant gas volumes to Hungary and Slovakia, in Hungary's case via a pipeline running mostly through Turkey. In contrast, Russia met 40% of the European Union's gas needs before Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

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.

Russia halted gas supplies to Austria on Saturday in a dispute over payments but was still pumping steady volumes to Europe via Ukraine after remaining buyers asked for more gas. Russia, which before the Ukraine war was the biggest single supplier of natural gas to Europe,

Russian gas could keep flowing into Europe next year under a controversial “swap deal” in which the Kremlin’s fossil fuels would be rebranded as Azerbaijani.