MOSCOW, December 17. /TASS/. Moscow is not setting any definite deadline for the launch of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, this is the purview of the regulator, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

"This is exclusively the regulator's authority," he said, answering a question on the matter.

When asked to comment on the information from the Federal Network Agency of Germany that a decision on the certification of the Nord Stream 2 operator will not be made in the first half of 2022, the Kremlin spokesman noted: "As far as we know, the company continues to communicate with the regulator and continues the process of certification. It is not us who predicts when it will happen."

The construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was completed on September 10, 2021. In order to start pumping gas, the pipeline’s operator must get the green light from the German regulator. So far, the certification has been delayed, because Nord Stream 2 AG, the pipeline’s operator headquartered in Switzerland must register a subsidiary in Germany.