Moscow and local authorities in Transnistria are discussing the possibility of purchasing gas for Moldova's Russian-occupied region on the European spot market via an intermediary company, the Russian state-controlled media outlet Kommersant reported on Jan. 15, citing unnamed sources.
The costs are likely to be compensated by the Russian budget, the newspaper reported.
Russia’s state-controlled energy giant Gazprom halted gas supplies to Moldova on Jan. 1 as Ukraine ended Russian gas transit through its territory. Gazprom claimed that it halted supplies because of Moldova's alleged unpaid debts rather than transit issues.
The gas suspension has led to widespread power outages in Transnistria, pushing the region toward industrial collapse. The Russian-held region is dependent on Russian supplies while the rest of the country pivoted toward European sellers.
According to Kommersant's sources, gas may be purchased from January to April in amounts of up to 3 million cubic meters per day. The outlet estimates the price at $164 million.
Supplies to Tiraspoltransgaz, the largest gas provider in the region, are likely to be carried out not by Moldovagaz, which has a monopoly on supplies to Transnistria, but by another Moldovan gas supplier, Natural Gaz D.C., the outlet wrote.
Arkady Vikol, the co-owner of Natural Gaz D.C., confirmed that his company had signed a framework contract with Tiraspoltransgaz to supply 2 to 3 million cubic meters of gas per day to Transnistria.
Moldova's Security and Intelligence Service interrogated Vikol over his company's plans to organize gas supplies to Transnistria, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said.
Russia will resume gas supplies to Transnistria in the form of humanitarian aid, said Vadim Krasnoselsky, the head of the Moscow-controlled region.
Oleg Sukhov
(Updated: )
