Russia’s pipeline gas exports to Europe jump 10% in January as TurkStream becomes sole route

Summary

Gazprom’s pipeline gas exports to Europe rose about 10% year-on-year in January 2026, driven entirely by higher flows through the TurkStream pipeline — now Russia’s only remaining major gas route into Europe after Ukraine ended transit in 2025.

Despite the monthly rise, overall Russian pipeline exports remain near their lowest levels since the mid-1970s, underscoring how dramatically Europe’s energy relationship with Moscow has shifted since the Ukraine war.

MOSCOW — Russia’s average daily pipeline gas supplies to Europe rose 10.3% in January compared with a year earlier, according to Reuters calculations based on European transmission data.

Flows via the TurkStream undersea pipeline reached around 55.8 million cubic metres per day, up from 50.6 million cubic metres per day in January 2025 and broadly in line with December levels.

In total, Russian gas deliveries to Europe through TurkStream amounted to about 1.73 billion cubic metres (bcm) in January, compared with 1.57 bcm in the same month last year.

TurkStream now Russia’s only pipeline link to Europe

Turkey has become the sole transit corridor for Russian pipeline gas into Europe after Ukraine chose not to renew a five-year transit agreement with Moscow that expired in January 2025.

With northern and central European routes effectively closed, TurkStream now feeds gas primarily into southeastern European markets.

Gazprom has stopped publishing detailed monthly export data since early 2023, leaving analysts to rely on pipeline network figures compiled by European gas transmission operators.

Exports still near historic lows

While January showed a modest rebound, the broader picture remains sharply lower than pre-war levels.

In 2025, Russia’s pipeline gas exports to Europe fell by about 44% to roughly 18 bcm, their lowest level since the mid-1970s, according to Reuters calculations.

Before the Ukraine war, Russian pipeline deliveries regularly exceeded 175–180 bcm per year in 2018 and 2019 — highlighting the scale of the collapse in flows.

Why this matters

Europe’s energy system has undergone one of the fastest structural shifts in modern history.

This latest data shows:

• Russia still supplies limited pipeline gas to parts of Europe — but on a fraction of former volumes
• TurkStream has become Moscow’s last strategic gas artery into European markets
• Europe’s pivot toward LNG imports and alternative suppliers has permanently reduced reliance on Russian pipelines

Even when monthly flows rise, the era of Russian gas dominating Europe’s energy mix is effectively over.

FAQs

Q1: Why did Russian gas exports rise in January?

The increase came from higher flows through the TurkStream pipeline, now Russia’s only remaining major route for pipeline gas into Europe.

Q2: What is TurkStream and why is it important?

TurkStream is an undersea pipeline running from Russia to Turkey and onward into southeastern Europe. With other routes shut, it is now Russia’s primary pipeline link to European buyers.

Q3: Does this signal a recovery in Russian gas sales to Europe?

Not really. While January volumes were higher than last year, overall exports remain historically low compared with pre-2022 levels.

Q4: How dependent is Europe on Russian gas today?

Some southeastern European countries still receive Russian gas via TurkStream, but the EU overall has sharply reduced reliance by turning to LNG, Norway, and North Africa.

Q5: Why doesn’t Gazprom publish monthly export data anymore?

Gazprom halted detailed monthly disclosures in early 2023, making analysts rely on European pipeline flow data to estimate exports.