Ukraine has resumed gas transit. But there is a nuance
4 February 2025 13:07
Ukraine is once again transporting gas through its territory, but not from Russia to Europe, but vice versa – from Europe to Russia-controlled Transnistria. This was reported on Facebook by Volodymyr Omelchenko, director of energy programs at the Razumkov Center, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“According to the Moldovan government and ENTSO-G, since February 2, Energocom, the state trader of Moldova, has started supplying gas to MDRES in Transnistria through the territory of Ukraine (Orlovka gas distribution system). The volume of supplies is 2 million cubic meters per day. Thus, Ukraine has resumed gas transit, albeit via a different route and from a non-Russian company. Of course, the commodity transportation work is insignificant, since the transportation arm is several tens of kilometers and the volumes are minimal,”
– the expert wrote.
In addition, he said, the Hungarian trader MIT International AG may start transiting up to 5 million cubic meters per day through the Isakcha-Orlovka point on February 11. The route goes through a small section of Ukraine to the Moldovan state-run power plant. This can only happen with the approval of the official Chisinau, Omelchenko said.
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Energy crisis in Transnistria
After Ukraine stopped transit of Russian gas through its territory on January 1, 2025, the pro-Russian unrecognized Transnistrian Moldovan Republic found itself in an energy crisis. The PMR was critically dependent on Russian gas and unprepared for such a step by Ukraine. Most household subscribers were disconnected from gas. The territory immediately stopped supplying heat to homes and began selling firewood.
The Moldovan hydroelectric power plant, which supplies electricity to Moldova and Transnistria, switched to coal, which will be enough to provide electricity until about the end of February. Moldova claims that the country’s energy security is not in danger. In particular, the state is able to import electricity from Romania and Ukraine. However, Transnistria has no such options.
An economic emergency has been declared in the unrecognized republic, and almost all industrial enterprises have stopped working there. As the temperature drops, the problems will only get worse.
At the same time, according to energy expert Mykhailo Honchar, “Russia can provide Transnistria with gas, but it does not do so.”
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