At the beginning of the summer, constructors of Nord Stream 2 reported that they had finished the first stage of the project. The solemn news about the completion of the first stage of a large-scale Russian project was announced by President Vladimir Putin at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).
"I'm glad to announce that today two and a half hours ago, the laying of the first line of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was successfully completed. Work on the second line continues," Putin said.
"On the German side, the pipes have arrived. On the Russian side, they have to be lifted and welded, that's all. But the laying itself is finished," Vladimir Putin added.
The test launch of the pipeline is another very important step. The Governor of the Leningrad Region, Alexander Drozdenko, announced the start of the testing of the Nord Stream-2 facilities located in the region, which is scheduled for the second week of June.
