Russia’s new Power of Siberia gas pipeline to China has begun to supply fuel to the Asian economic giant, as the Financial Times reports. The pipeline, begun after US and the EU introduced the first Crimea-linked sanctions against Russia, will when fully operating be able to transport 38 billion cubic metres of gas annually across 3000 km. The gas comes mainly from the Kovyktinskoye and Chayandinskoye gas fields, and the pipeline cost an estimated US$55 billion (€49.7 billion) to construct, making it the largest gas project in the country’s history. Power of Siberia is owned and operated by Gazprom, while CNPC is the purchasing Chinese oil and gas firm. Russian President Vladimir Putin said of the commencement of the operation of the pipeline that it was “a truly historic event, not only for the global energy market, but first of all for us, for Russia and China.” Talks are ongoing between the two countries on two further pipelines, including a 30 billion cubic metre “Power of Siberia 2”.