headline: Gas prices increase as Russia cut German supply
text: Gas prices don increas afta Russia further cut gas supplies to Germany and oda central European kontries afta dem draw ear wit warning say dem go do am early dis week. Europe gas prices dey up by like 2% trading above one earlier all-time high afta Russia invade Ukraine. Critics accuse di Russian goment say dem dey gas as political weapon. Russia don dey cut flows through di Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany, and now e dey operate at less dan a fifth of dia normal capacity. Germany dey import 55% of im gas from Russia and most of am dey come thru Nord Stream 1 - with di rest coming from land-based pipelines. Russian energy firm, Gazprom dey try justify di latest cut by say dem need am to allow maintenance work on one turbine. Di German goment, however, tok say no technical reason for dem to limit di supply. Ukraine dey accuse Moscow say dem dey do "gas war" against Europe and to cut supplies dey inflict "terror" on pipo. Di UK no dey directly affected by gas supply disruption, as dem dey import less dan 5% of dia gas from Russia. Howeva, dem go dey affected by prices wey dey increase for di global markets as demand for Europe increase. UK gas prices rise 7% on Wednesday so di price now dey more than six times higher than a year ago. However, e still dey well below di peak wey dey notice during di aftermath of Russia invasion of Ukraine. UK energy bills increase by £700 for April, and dey expected to rise again as one management consultancy dey sama warning say typical energy bill fit hit £3,850 a year by January, much higher than wetin dem forecasts early dis month. BFY tok say dia forecast reflect di increase in wholesale prices ova di past few weeks with di ongoing tensions with Russia wey dey increase concerns ova winter supplies. Di latest reduction in flows put pressure on EU kontries to reduce dia dependence on Russian gas even further, and e go likely make am more difficult for dem to refill dia gas supplies ahead of winter. Since di invasion of Ukraine, European leaders don do tok-tok ova how to reduce dia dependence on Russian fossil fuels. On Tuesday, di European Union agree to cut gas use in case Russia stop supplies but some kontries go get exemptions to avoid rationing. EU members now don agree to by demsef to reduce 15% of gas use between August and March. Howeva, di deal dey watered down afta e previously no get exemptions. Di EU don tok say dia aim from di deal na to make savings and store gas ahead of winter, warning say Russia dey "continuously using energy supplies as a weapon". Di voluntary agreement go become mandatory if supplies reach crisis levels. Di EU agreed for May to ban all Russian oil imports wey dey come in by sea by di end of dis year, but one deal ova gas ban don take longer. Since Russia invade Ukraine for February di price of wholesale gas don already go up, with serious impact on consumer energy bills across di world. Di Kremlin dey blame di increase in price on Western sanctions, insisting say dem be reliable energy partner and no dey responsible for di recent disruption to gas supplies.