Russia has blamed the United States for triggering the worst gas supply crisis in Europe by pushing European leaders toward the "suicidal" step of imposing sanctions on Moscow over its military offensive in Ukraine.

The Russian gas giant Gazprom has indefinitely suspended natural gas flows to Europe via Nord Stream 1 pipeline amid a worsening energy crisis in the continent.

A team of inspectors led by the IAEA’s chief Rafael Grossi on Thursday visited Zaporizhzhia.

The Kremlin says the new decision would “make the situation more difficult for Europeans as well.”

Moscow advised Ankara against any military activity in northern Syrian regions. Russian and Turkish presidents are to hold a summit.

Russia has dismissed the "utterly unfounded" speculations that it may use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, saying it would only use its nuclear arsenal in response to "direct aggression" by NATO countries over the ongoing conflict in the former Soviet state.

The Kremlin says Russia will halt its months-long military offensive in neighboring Ukraine as soon as Ukrainian forces surrender.

Russia says two Americans captured while fighting with Ukraine's military were "mercenaries" engaged in illegal activities and should be "held accountable for those crimes".

The Kremlin says it hopes European leaders will not supply Ukraine with more lethal weapons.

The Russian government says it has no intention to cut gas supplies to any more European countries as Moscow’s scheme of receiving gas payments in rubles is working as planned.