The leader of Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova, has issued a plea to residents to utilize firewood for heating as the area faces energy shortages following the cessation of gas supplies via Ukraine by Moscow. Vadim Krasnoselskyi, the president of the separatist region supported by Russia, conveyed in a message on the platform Telegram that numerous residential buildings were without heating and hot water, with thousands of households lacking access to gas due to the closure of gas boiler houses.
Krasnoselskyi noted that although the region is abundant in wood resources, residents in rural areas with functional stoves should actively seek out and burn wood to cope with the current situation. Transnistria has been grappling with an energy crisis since the beginning of the year when Ukraine ceased transporting Russian gas to Europe through its territory after a key agreement with Moscow expired. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky characterized this move as a significant setback for Moscow.
Transnistria, a pro-Russian enclave bordering Ukraine, separated from Moldova following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Prior to the disruption in supply, the region had been receiving Russian gas through Ukraine. Krasnoselskyi acknowledged that rolling blackouts were inevitable to safeguard the energy system, emphasizing the need for understanding from the population. A schedule has been devised by the government to minimize inconvenience and facilitate daily activities during this challenging period.
Despite relatively mild winter conditions across Europe, temperatures in Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria, were forecasted to remain slightly above freezing over the weekend. The breakaway region’s parliament has called upon the Kremlin to negotiate a new gas agreement with Ukraine. Prior to the transit deal’s expiration, Russia had been providing Moldova with approximately 2 billion cubic meters of gas annually, which was transmitted through Transnistria.
The termination of the gas transit deal is poised to impact both Ukraine and Russia economically. Ukraine is expected to face an annual loss of around $800 million in transit fees from Russia, while Gazprom, the Russian state-owned gas company, is projected to lose nearly $5 billion in gas sales. In response, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico hinted at potential retaliatory measures, including reducing electricity supplies to Ukraine and cutting aid to Ukrainian refugees, labeling the gas transit deal’s expiration as “sabotage” by Zelensky.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Europe has significantly diminished its reliance on Russian energy sources. However, certain parts of the former Eastern Bloc still heavily rely on gas imports from Russia. The situation underscores the complex interplay between energy dependencies, geopolitical tensions, and regional dynamics in the broader European context.
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