Gas Supplies in Moldova’s Transdniestria Region Close to Running Out
The leader of Moldova’s separatist Transdniestria region, facing severe power and heating cuts, warned on Friday that gas supplies would run out within days. He called on the Moldovan government to end “artificial delays” and urgently provide new supplies.
However, Moldova’s prime minister explained that the solution lies in either Russian gas producer Gazprom resuming shipments or Transdniestria paying for gas purchased on European markets. The separatist region, which split from Moldova during the collapse of the Soviet Union, had long relied on Russian gas passing through Ukraine. But Ukraine, embroiled in its ongoing conflict with Russia, has refused to extend the transit agreement, leaving Transdniestria without a crucial energy source.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, Transdniestria’s self-declared president, reported that many of the region’s 350,000 residents were suffering from illness and fatalities linked to carbon monoxide poisoning caused by makeshift heating methods. He warned that without gas, it would take two to three months to restore heating in residential areas.
Krasnoselsky also accused Moldova of deliberately delaying the situation, accusing them of false accusations and stalling the delivery of necessary resources. While Transdniestria had agreed to pay for more expensive European gas, Krasnoselsky claimed that Moldova had not fulfilled its obligations, exacerbating the region’s crisis.
In response, Moldova’s Prime Minister Dorin Recean reaffirmed that only if Gazprom resumes supplies or Transdniestria pays for gas from European sources could the crisis be resolved. He pointed the blame at Moscow, claiming that the Kremlin sought to provoke further division by withholding gas to Transdniestria.
Moldovan officials highlighted that no payments had been received from Transdniestria for gas, while Gazprom demanded $709 million in arrears before agreeing to resume deliveries.
