Transnistria says Russia will supply them with gas: what Ukraine says

The leader of the self-proclaimed Transnistrian region of Moldova, Vadim Krasnoselsky, said that Russia plans to resume gas supplies to the region in the form of "humanitarian aid."

This was reported by the Ukrainian service of Radio Liberty.

Krasnoselsky noted that the volume of gas will be sufficient only for the region's internal needs, such as heat and power generation, as well as industry, but will not allow for the production of electricity for the right bank of the Dniester.

The exact date of the resumption of supplies, as well as the route, remain uncertain and depend on further negotiations. It is also not clear who will cover the costs of gas transit.

Earlier, on January 1, Gazprom stopped supplying gas to Transnistria, which caused a humanitarian crisis in the region. Rolling blackouts were introduced in Tiraspol to reduce the load on the grid.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu said that this situation was created by the Kremlin to aggravate the political situation in the country. At the same time, Ukraine, the EU, and Chisinau are exploring alternative ways to support the region to avoid dependence on Russian gas.

At the same time, in an interview with Yevropeiska Pravda, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga confirmed that Russia is using the gas crisis in Transnistria as a tool to put pressure on Moldova ahead of the parliamentary elections.

"For Russia, gas is one of the tools to influence the elections in Moldova," Sibiga said.

Ukraine and Moldova are coordinating their efforts to overcome the crisis. In particular, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held consultations with Maia Sandu on possible ways to help. Ukraine is ready to provide Moldova with gas from its storage facilities, and is also considering the possibility of providing the Transnistrian region with coal and improving the efficiency of local thermal power plants.

Sibiga also noted that the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine is "unacceptable" for Tiraspol and emphasized the need to find a solution without Russian involvement.

Ukraine supports the position on the restoration of Moldova's territorial integrity, including Transnistria, and calls for reforming the 5+2 negotiation format, excluding Russia from it. According to Sibiga, the European Union should play a greater role in resolving the conflict.

Андрій Колісніченко