Overview

• Gazprom announced it will cease gas deliveries to Moldova from January 1, citing $709 million in unpaid debts, a claim Moldova disputes, stating the debt is only $8.6 million based on international audits.
• The cutoff will impact the Kuciurgan power plant in Transnistria, which supplies electricity to much of Moldova, raising fears of prolonged power outages during winter.
• Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean condemned the move as an attempt by Russia to use energy as a political weapon, pledging to pursue legal recourse, including international arbitration.
• Moldova has declared a state of emergency in the energy sector, implemented conservation measures, and diversified gas imports from Romania and other sources to mitigate the crisis.
• The situation is further complicated by Ukraine's refusal to renew its gas transit agreement with Russia, effectively ending Russian gas flows to Moldova and several European countries through Ukrainian pipelines.