Austrian utility OMV says supplies from Russia's state-owned natural gas company Gazprom stopped early Saturday after the company said it would stop payments for the gas following an arbitration award.

Russian gas giant Gazprom continued to pump steady volumes of gas to Europe via Ukraine on Saturday, but supplies to Austrian energy company OMV were halted hours after Vienna said Russia had given notice it would cut off flows.

Austria's OMV halts payments to Gazprom, following an arbitration award, leading to a cessation of Russian gas supplies. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer assured that Austria had an alternative supply of fuel.