Russia has cut off gas supplies to Moldova, including to the Russian-controlled Transnistria region, causing an energy and humanitarian crisis that is going to unfold over the course of January.
Ukraine halted Russian gas transit to Europe by not renewing a contract with Russian state-owned energy company Gazprom on Jan. 1, 2025. But Gazprom warned Moldova about a halt to its suppy on Oct. 28 last year, BBC wrote.
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The reason stated in a letter to Moldova’s state gas company Moldovagaz was an “accumulated debt” and non-fullfilment of payments, according to the BBC.
Moldova prepared for the gas shutdown, but Transnistria didn’t.
This has already provoked the loss of 75,000 jobs, the halt of production of all factories in the region, and the start of a potential humanitarian crisis.
What happened in Transnistria after Russia stopped supplying gas
On the first morning of 2025, the supply of russian gas was completely stopped to all heating plants and the entire private sector in Transnistrian cities, European Pravda wrote in its explainer.
According to reports, gas remained only in old apartment buildings where its use has been limited to gas stoves, and to a few critical facilities – such as parts of hospitals and some kindergartens. But not for long.
This too is meant to cease before the end of the month.
Both Transnistria and Moldova do not have gas storage facilities, meaning Transnistria’s unrecognised government could not store gas in advance.
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And by February, Transnistria could become a comletely gas free zone, without heating and electricity, European Pravda reported.
The internationally recognised government in Moldova declared an energy emergency in the country. Moldova’s parliament voted in favor of imposing a state of emergency in the energy sector over fears that Russia could leave the EU candidate country without sufficient natural gas supplies this winter, Euronews reported.
The main reason for fears is also Moldova’s supply of electricity that comes from coal-fueled power plant in Kurchugan. It is located in unrecognized Transnistria, but supplies electricity to all of Moldova, BBC reported.
The government in Chisinau said it had enough gas to heat the country until spring and it will switch to buying electricity from Europe, but that means a giant hike in costs, BBC reported.
Moldova is now purchasing electricity from Romania, European Pravda wrote. But the coal at the power plant left for generating electricity for the left bank of the Dniester will last for 50 days, if the weather is warm.
Why Russia cut the gas from Transnistria
Putin wants Russian gas transit to return, since it brings the country $6 billion yearly. But Zelensky seems disinclined to change his decision on not renewing gas transit.
But another goal of the Kremlin is to influence Moldovan politics ahead of the parliamentary elections, which are set to be held in 2025 and will determine the government in Moldova for the next four years, European Pravda wrote.
The Kremlin needs to create as many problems as possible for the people of Moldova to maximize their dissatisfaction with the current government.
The humanitarian crisis may be solved by a European Union support program or even aid from Ukraine, European Pravda speculated.
But after a harsh winter, the absence of Russian gas in Transnistria may force the unrecognized state to conside taking an unprecedented step: integration back into Moldova.
This would mean Russia losing one of the proxy-controlled states it’s created in its rush to invade country after country starting in 1992.
The views expressed in this opinion article are the author’s and not necessarily those of Kyiv Post.
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