A Moldovan pipeline damaged by a huge blast that sharply cut natural gas deliveries to the Balkans earlier this week will be fixed by Monday, the company that oversees the pipeline told AFP Friday.
"We expect to finish replacing of the damaged section of the gas pipeline by Monday," said Igor Nemchin, deputy director of Tiraspoltransgaz, a gas transit firm in Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniestr, where the blast took place.
Wednesday's explosion cut the flow of Russian natural gas to the Balkans by around 40%, according to Russian state-run energy giant OAO Gazprom (GAZP.RS), though more gas was pumped through two parallel pipelines to make up the shortfall.
The blast near the village of Kitskanu caused a huge fire that could be seen several kilometers away and blackened and burned all trees and vegetation within a radius of around 500 meters.