“Russia can supply Transnistria with gas, but it does not do so” – Mykhailo Honchar
3 January 2025 17:16
OPINION
On January 1, after the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine was cut off, Transnistria came to a standstill. Almost all industrial enterprises in the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan Republic have stopped working, houses are without heating, and firewood is sold on the streets. The lower the air temperature drops, the more difficult it will be for the DMR. Energy security expert Mykhailo Gonchar explains the real reasons for the situation and refutes accusations against Ukraine in an exclusive commentary for "Komersant Ukrainian".
“They do not have any crisis, and if they do in the future, let them turn to Russia, which created this crisis for them,”
– the expert emphasizes.
In the Transnistria, a traditionally pro-Russian region, and in Russia, they were quick to blame Ukraine for the situation, which allegedly created such conditions for them. Mykhailo Honchar argues that such accusations are a manipulation by the Kremlin. After all, Russia has all the technical capabilities to supply gas to the territory it controls bypassing Ukraine. However, for some reason, the Russian leadership is not doing so.
“If the Kremlin gave an instruction, Gazprom could supply Transnistria with gas via a bypass route through the second line of the Turkish Stream. There are still about a couple of billion cubic meters of free capacity there,”
– the expert says.
Follow us on Telegram: the main news in brief
He suggests that Moscow is using the situation to work out the message that people are freezing in the PMR because of Ukraine. And the residents of the unrecognized republic are traditionally the last to be thought of in Russia.
“Transnistria got its way. They thought they were on some special account in the Kremlin, like a western outpost of Russia. And the Kremlin needs a picture that Ukraine is engaged in gas terror,”
– gonchar explains.
In theory, the expert even admits the possibility of Ukraine’s assistance to Transnistria, but in practice, he argues, it is impossible due to the difficult energy situation in Ukraine.
“Moldova could negotiate supplies from Poland via Ukraine. We could also provide something, but we need to save money ourselves. We are now, as they say, “in a pinch,” so we can hardly help,”
– summarized Mykhailo Honchar.
Follow us on Telegram: the main news in brief
