Transnistria - a breakaway region of Moldova - is likely to receive Russian gas via Türkiye from February 1 and a section of the TurkStream gas pipeline will be reserved for this purpose, Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported.
On January 20, the Cyprus company Ozbor Enterprises registered a capacity of about 3.1 million m3/day via the TurkStream gas pipeline to the Strandzha-2 inlet at the border of Türkiye and Bulgaria, the news agency reported. This data was obtained from the RBP exchange.
The gas transit rate of 3.1 million cubic meters per day will remain unchanged for one month, starting from February 1. In fact, this amount of gas is equivalent to the amount of gas that Transnistria needs to meet its basic needs.
Sources also revealed that several options for supplying Russian gas to the breakaway region of Transnistria are being considered by authorities, with the option of supplying gas via Türkiye being prioritized.
If the supply of Russian gas to Transnistria is implemented according to this scenario, the cost of gas supply is estimated at about 160 million USD/month.
On January 1, 2025, due to the expiration of the transit contract, Russia's Gazprom stopped supplying gas via Ukraine to Moldova because the country's national company Moldovagaz had not yet paid its debts. Gazprom estimated the debt at $709 million, but Moldova did not recognize it.
Due to the lack of Russian gas, central heating and hot water supplies to residential buildings have been cut off in Transnistria. There have been widespread power outages and most industrial companies in the breakaway region have been forced to close.
Transnistria's leaders say the region's gas reserves are sufficient to sustain consumption until the end of January. Last week, Transnistria's leader Vadim Krasnoselsky traveled to Moscow to negotiate gas supplies. He said gas supplies would be resumed soon as part of humanitarian aid.
Turkiye Today notes that the TurkStream pipeline and the Trans-Balkan section are emerging as the main routes for gas supplies to Transnistria. However, Moldova has raised concerns about the legality of the new agreement, stressing that only Moldovagaz is allowed to supply gas to Transnistria.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu said her government is analyzing potential sanctions risks from using intermediary companies for gas supplies to Transnistria.
Ozbor Enterprises – the company supporting the gas supply to Transnistria this time – operates in the European gas market and has ties to former Gazprom executives, further complicating the geopolitical dynamics of the deal.
The gas supply to Transnistria is described as humanitarian, with minimal supplies to meet basic consumption needs. Previously, gas was supplied in larger quantities to the breakaway region of Transnistria for the purpose of generating electricity for Moldova. Energy experts note that the gas supply agreement that began on February 1 does not include gas for this purpose.
Despite ongoing political tensions and disputes, the resumption of gas supplies via TurkStream reflects the complex energy interdependence in Eastern Europe and Türkiye's strategic role as a transit hub.
