Construction work has begun on the controversial Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline at Lubmin, Germany's landing point. According to a spokesman for the Gazprom subsidiary, civil engineering and foundation work for the gas receiving station and the plant building started on an area of six hectares.

In addition to Germany, Finland has already approved the construction of the 1200-kilometer pipeline. From the end of 2019, it will transport around 55 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas annually from Russia to Germany.

The decisions of Russia, Sweden and Denmark on the construction of the nine-billion-euro project are pending.

"We are confident that we will receive all relevant approvals," said the Nord Stream spokesman. In Denmark, the pipeline is to run parallel to the existing first Nord Stream route south of the island of Bornholm.

According to the company, the route for the first pipeline was chosen at the time at the express request of Denmark. It is therefore optimistic that the second pipeline on this corridor will also meet with approval.