Russia will supply gas to Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria as a “humanitarian gesture,” but the rest of the country will remain without gas after Moscow halted deliveries on January 1, citing unpaid debts.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the separatist leader of Transnistria, announced on Wednesday that the region would receive gas from Russia as “humanitarian aid.” However, Moldova will continue to be cut off from Russian gas supplies. The Kremlin’s decision to halt gas supplies followed claims of a $709 million (€688 million) debt, which Moldova denies.
On Tuesday, Krasnoselsky confirmed that gas would be restored to Transnistria after “negotiations” with Russia’s energy ministry. He said the supplies would provide “humanitarian and technical assistance,” although he did not specify a timeline for the resumption.
Transnistria, where winter temperatures often drop below freezing, declared a state of emergency last week due to the gas shortages. The suspension of gas led to power cuts of up to eight hours a day and forced the closure of most industries. Moldova also declared a state of emergency on Monday, fearing that the energy crisis could lead to a humanitarian disaster in the region, which declared independence after a brief war in 1992 but is not internationally recognized.
While Transnistria will receive gas, the rest of Moldova faces continued energy shortages. Russia cut supplies to Moldova, citing the alleged unpaid debt and the end of a five-year agreement between Ukraine and Russia, which previously allowed Russian gas to flow to Europe through Ukraine.
The halt of gas supplies primarily impacts the Kuciurgan power plant in Transnistria, which supplies electricity to Moldova. The plant, privatized in 2004 and later sold to a Russian state-owned company, was taken over in a process that Chisinau considers illegal.
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean described the situation as an “exceptional situation” and accused Moscow of “weaponizing” energy flow to pressure Moldova and its Western allies.
Moldova’s government has disputed Russia’s claims about its gas debt, asserting that it owes only $8.6 million (€8.3 million), far less than what Gazprom alleges. To mitigate the crisis, Moldova implemented measures on January 1 to reduce energy consumption, such as cutting lighting in public and commercial buildings by 30% and restricting energy-heavy businesses to off-peak hours.
Recean also emphasized that Moldova is working to diversify its energy sources to reduce its dependence on the Kuciurgan plant.
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