⁍ Poland has fined Russia’s Gazprom more than $7.6 billion for building the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline without Warsaw’s approval.

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⁍ Russia’s bid to double its gas export capacity across the Baltic Sea has prompted opposition, including U.S. sanctions.

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⁍ Opponents are wary of Moscow’s motives as the pipeline will allow it to curb gas transit via Ukraine.

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– Russia’s Gazprom has been hit with a $7.6 billion fine by Poland’s anti-monopoly watchdog for building a gas pipeline across the Baltic Sea without Warsaw’s approval, Reuters reports. The $11 billion Nord Stream 2 pipeline would run between Russia and Germany, increasing Russia’s gas exports to Europe. Eight other EU countries, as well as the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, object to the project, saying it would have “potentially destabilising geopolitical consequences.” Poland’s anti-monopoly watchdog said Wednesday that Gazprom was fined $57 million for a lack of cooperation with it.