Russia burns off ‘$10m of gas a day meant for Europe’ after huge flame seen near Nord Stream pipeline

Blaze at Portovaya plant visible from neighbouring Finland amid fears for climate impact

Russia is burning off vast amounts of natural gas which experts believe would once have been destined for Germany, as Europe struggles with rocketing energy costs exacerbated by Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine.

The flare at the Portovaya plant – which is located close to a compressor station at the start of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline – was first noticed months ago by residents across the border in Finland and in satellite images.

While such flares are common in Russia, the scale of the blaze at Portovaya has caught the attention of analysts.