Moscow blames Ukraine for stopping gas and Moldova for money; Chisinau suspects that Russia wants to change the upcoming elections.
The European Union's foreign affairs chief has criticized Russia for using gas equipment in Moldova.
Russia is using “gas as a weapon” in a “hybrid” war against the small southeastern European country, Kaja Kallas said late on Tuesday, pledging support for the bloc. Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria, which has close links with Moscow, has been without gas since the start of the year amid economic tensions between Chisinau and Russia's state-owned gas giant Gazprom.
“Russia continues to use air as a weapon and once again Moldova is the target of its hybrid wars,” Kallas wrote overnight on the social network X. “Because of EU support Moldova is still strong and closely connected to European electricity.”
Russia is still using gas as a weapon and once again Moldova is the target of its hybrid wars.
Thanks to EU support Moldova is still strong and well connected to European networks.
My singing is @DorinRecean I reaffirmed our unshakable alliance with Moldova.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 7, 2025
For years, Transnistria, a predominantly Russian-speaking region bordering Ukraine, has received Russian air through Ukraine.
But the way was cut on New Year's Day After Kyiv refused to extend a transit agreement with Moscow that continued three years of war between the two.
The Moldovan government has blamed the problem on Gazprom, which it says has refused to supply gas produced by the contract to Transnistria through an alternative route and is testing the Transbalkan route.
Gazprom has blamed Moldova's unpaid debts of $709m, which Moscow says it was responsible for. But Moldova opposes the loan and says its position is supported by international research.
In his speech, Kallas said he reaffirmed the “unshakable partnership of the EU and Moldova” in a call with Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean.
The disruption now affects more than 51,000 families in Transnistria. 1,500 houses are without heating, and the economic performance is also in trouble.
System changes
The thinnest part of the world Transnistria it has been under the control of pro-Russian forces since the fall of the Soviet Union, but is recognized internationally as part of Moldova.
Moldova accuses Moscow of lying over the crisis, which it says was orchestrated by Russia to undermine the government ahead of parliamentary elections this year.
“The meaning of all this is that Russia will create instability in the region and most importantly influence the results of the parliamentary elections in Moldova… They want to achieve a government aligned with Russia…,” Recean said in a briefing on the Internet.
At the end of last year, Russia was the accused meddling in the elections that resulted in EU Moldovan troops winning a many few.