Transnistria Faces Severe Energy and Economic Crisis After Russian Gas Cutoff
Moldova's separatist region struggles with blackouts, economic collapse, and geopolitical tensions as Moscow halts gas supplies through Ukraine.
- Russia's Gazprom suspended gas deliveries to Transnistria on January 1, citing $709 million in disputed Moldovan debt, causing widespread blackouts and energy shortages in the region.
- The gas cutoff has led to a 43% drop in imports and a 60% decline in exports, severely impacting Transnistria's economy, particularly its metals, machinery, and chemical industries.
- Moldovan President Maia Sandu accused Russia of artificially stoking the crisis to destabilize Moldova, reiterating that alternative supply routes are available but unused by Moscow.
- Transnistria's reliance on Russian gas for its primary power plant has forced a temporary switch to coal, with limited supplies expected to last only 50 days, raising fears of a worsening humanitarian situation.
- Geopolitical analysts warn the crisis could escalate tensions in the Russo-Ukrainian war, with concerns that Russia might use the situation as a pretext for intervention in Transnistria, potentially altering the regional balance of power.
