
Without Russian gas, the industry in Transnistria stopped
In the region with almost half a million inhabitants, only food production plants are working these days
Almost all factories in Moldova's separatist region of Transnistria halted production after valves on a gas pipeline from Russia to Western Europe were shut down on January 1. In the region with almost half a million inhabitants, only food production plants are working these days.
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- All industrial plants are at rest, except those necessary for food production. It is too early to judge how the situation will develop. The problem is broad and if it is not overcome for a long time, the consequences will be irreparable. Many plants will not be able to be restarted - said Sergey Obolonik, Deputy Prime Minister of the self-proclaimed Transnistria region, recognized as independent only from Moscow.
A contingent of 1.500 Russian soldiers is stationed in Transnistria, in order to deter the Moldovan authorities from an action to join the separatist region.
In the face of war, Kiev allowed Russia to pump gas to Europe through pipelines in Ukraine. That deal brought Ukraine $1 billion in annual revenue, but Kiev decided not to renew the gas transit deal, which officially expired on January 1.
Most users of Russian gas in the past three years have adapted and are already using gas from other sources, mainly from the United States and Qatar. The pro-Russian authorities in Transnistria are in no position to find another source.
The regional energy company stopped supplying hot water and heating to households on Wednesday. The company advised families to "huddle together in one room, cover the windows with blankets and use electric heaters."
Leader Vadim Krasnoselski said that the region has gas reserves sufficient for ten days in the northern part and 20 days in the southern part, and only for emergency needs. The main power plant has switched to using coal and will be able to generate electricity in January and February.
Transnistria received about 2 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia each year. In this region is the plant that supplied electricity to Moldova, a country with 2,5 million inhabitants. The authorities in Chisinau are openly seeking admission to the European Union, and have a long history of disputes with Moscow over unpaid gas bills. After closing the valves, Moldova meets 60 percent of its energy needs from neighboring Romania.
The director of the Moldovan gas company, Vadim Ceban, has offered Transnistria to buy a limited amount of gas that Moldova receives from its European partners, but only if it pays for it at the market price. Transnistria is normally cash-strapped and owed a huge amount to Russian giant Gazprom, but was getting gas for political reasons.
Slovakia, on the other hand, announced "reciprocal measures" against Ukraine, due to the closing of the valves for Russian gas. Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is trying to maintain good relations with Moscow, said the ruling Smer party had already proposed a series of punitive measures, including cutting aid to Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia or halting electricity exports to Ukraine.
Slovak industry is not existentially dependent on Russian gas and has already secured alternative sources, which is why the threats from Fico's government, which has already stopped military aid to Kiev, are being interpreted as political pressure. A week ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Fico of "opening a new energy front against Ukraine on orders from Moscow". Fico, on the other hand, demanded compensation from Kyiv in the amount of half a billion euros.