Gazprom suspends gas supplies to Moldova from January 1
Gazprom suspends gas supplies to Moldova (photo: Getty Images)
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom has announced that it will stop supplying gas to Moldova. Supplies will stop on the morning of January 1, 2025.
According to Gazprom, the reason for this is Moldova's alleged refusal to settle its gas supply arrears. Today, the company sent a notice to Moldovagaz that the failure to fulfill payment obligations under the current contract is a “significant violation of its terms.”
“In this regard, from 08:00 Moscow time on January 1, 2025, Gazprom will restrict natural gas supplies to the Republic of Moldova to 0 cubic meters per day. The restriction will remain in effect until Gazprom notifies Moldovagaz in writing of the opposite,” the statement said.
It is noteworthy that Gazprom's message does not mention that at the same time - 07:00 Kyiv time - Ukraine stops the transit of Russian gas through its territory.
Gas for Moldova and what does Ukraine have to do with it
Moldova has not bought gas from Russian Gazprom for two years, but its energy dependence on Moscow remains quite high.
Official Chisinau buys gas in Europe - about 1 billion cubic meters a year. This gas may be of Russian origin, but the main thing for it is that it is not bound by contracts with Gazprom.
Only uncontrolled left-bank Transnistria receives Russian gas in the amount of up to 2 billion cubic meters in transit through Ukraine. But this gas is used, in particular, for the Moldovan hydroelectric power plant, which provides 90% of the electricity for the rest of Moldova. At the same time, Chisinau does not recognize debts for gas supplied to Transnistria.
Read more in the article Under Russian Gazprom's thumb: Moldova faces new energy crisis and needs Ukraine's help.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said that starting from January 1, the Ukrainian gas transportation system will not pump “a single molecule of Russian gas”.
Ukraine's refusal to sign direct contracts with Russia for gas transit does not sit well with such Kremlin “satellites” as Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. He has already threatened to cut off electricity supplies to Ukraine through his power system.
RBC-Ukraine's sources in the industry assure that this will not affect the country's energy security. And the volumes that used to go through Slovakia can be taken over by Ukraine's other neighbors.
