First shipment of liquefied natural gas from the Arctic LNG 2 project may be shipped in February, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak. In mid-December 2023, Novatek declared force majeure on shipments for some of its customers due to US sanctions amid sanctions on the project. However, Alexander Novak reported at the time that the first line of Arctic LNG 2 had actually started operating, with the first shipments expected in the first quarter of 2024.