Heating chief: Czechs couldn’t fill shortfall if Russia cuts off gas

If Russia cuts off gas supplies to the European Union, the Czech Republic will be unable to quickly fill the huge shortfall from other sources, the head of the Association for District Heating, Mirek Topolánek, said on Wednesday. Mr. Topolánek, a former prime minister, said the country would therefore find itself without gas, threatening heat production and supplies to households and firms.

The Czech Republic is almost 100 percent dependent on Russian gas.

On Wednesday Moscow cut off gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria, causing prices to shoot up in Europe.