Russia halted gas supplies via a major pipeline to Europe on Wednesday, raising the prospect of a recession, and energy rationing in some of the region's richest countries. And it is not the first time for Russia to withhold energy from Europe since the war in Ukraine.

The outage through Nord Stream 1 is for maintenance and means no gas flows into Germany between 01:00 GMT on August 31 and 01:00 GMT on September 3, according to Russian energy giant Gazprom.

Data from the pipeline operator's website showed flows dropped to zero between 02:0, and 03:00 GMT on Wednesday.

European governments fear Moscow will extend the halt in response to Western sanctions imposed over the invasion of Ukraine, and have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of using energy supplies as a "weapon of war". A claim Moscow continues to deny.

Increased restrictions on European gas supplies will exacerbate an energy crisis that has already sent wholesale gas prices up by over 400% since August last year, causing a painful cost-of-living crisis for consumers, increasing costs for companies and forcing governments to spend billions to ease the burden.

It has also emboldened right-wing parties to adopt more pro-Russian policies and calling for an end to their governments support to Ukraine.

Unlike the last month's 10-day maintenance of the pipeline, the new maintenance was announced just less than two weeks ago.

Moscow has already cut supplies via Nord Stream 1 to 40% in June, and 20% in July, blaming maintenance problems for sanctions on Moscow. It prevents equipment and installations from being returned, Moscow says.

Gazprom said the new shutdown is necessary to carry out maintenance on the pipeline's only remaining compressor.

Russia has completely cut off supplies to Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Poland and reduced flows through other pipelines since launching what Moscow calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine.