New Year’s Day Halted Gas Supplies to Separatist Region of Moldova, Threatening Crisis
Russia’s Gazprom stopped flowing gas to Ukraine on New Year’s Day, prompting Kiev to refuse extending a transit agreement with Russia’s gas company. The move has halted the flow of cash to fund Ukraine’s full-scale invasion. However, this decision has caused a crisis in neighboring Moldova, particularly in the separatist region of Transnistria.
The region, which has been loyal to Moscow since splitting from the rest of Moldova in a short war as the Soviet Union collapsed, is dependent on Russian gas for its economy. With the halt in supplies, Transnistria’s hospitals and critical infrastructure are the only areas still receiving heat, leaving homes and residential buildings without access to hot water or warmth.
Residents of the region are worried about the harsh winter ahead, with temperatures expected to fall below 0°C. Authorities in Transnistria are setting up “heating points” and hotlines to help families gather in one room for warmth and find alternative heat sources.
The situation is even more critical as Moldova’s main power plant is already relying on coal and has only enough fuel for 50 days. The country, which gets 80% of its electricity from the plant, is bracing for power cuts and has introduced a state of emergency.
Moldova’s government has announced plans to buy electricity from Europe, but this will come at a significant increase in costs. The abrupt halt in gas supplies affects not only Moldova but also Slovakia and Hungary, both of which have governments sympathetic to Moscow.
Gazprom claims it halted supplies due to Chisinau’s $700m debt, while the Moldovan government says the true amount is around $9m, most of which has been repaid. However, some experts believe the real reason behind the halt is Russia’s desire to destabilize Moldova and create an opportunity for pro-Russian forces to regain power.
The crisis is expected to worsen ahead of Moldova’s parliamentary elections in 2025, and the humanitarian situation in Transnistria is expected to deteriorate further. With tensions between Moldova and Russia already high, the situation could have significant political and economic consequences for the region.
