Russian media: Russia prepares to supply gas to Transnistria through Türkiye from February

Russian gas is likely to be supplied to Transnistria via Türkiye from 1 February, and a section of the TurkStream gas pipeline has been reserved for this purpose.

According to Kommersant, on 20 January, the Cypriot company Ozbor Enterprises booked a section of the TurkStream gas pipeline with a capacity of about 3.1 million cubic metres per day to the Strandzha-2 entry point on the border of Türkiye and Bulgaria. This follows from data from the RBP trading platform. 

The capacities are reserved for a month, starting 1 February. These volumes actually coincide with Transnistria's gas needs. Sources say various options for Russian gas supplies to the unrecognised republic are being considered. Currently, the option of supplying gas through Türkiye is a priority.

If this scenario is implemented, the cost of the gas supplied is estimated at US$160 million.

Gas supplies to Transnistria will be carried out in the minimum required volumes, unlike the volumes that in the past allowed gas to be used for electricity generation and its supply to Moldova.

On 1 January 2025, due to the expiration of the transit contract, Gazprom stopped supplying gas through Ukraine, citing Moldovagaz's unresolved debts. Gazprom estimated the debt at US$709 million, while Chișinău does not recognise this debt.

Due to the absence of Russian gas in Transnistria, central heating and hot water supply to residential buildings have been cut off, there are widespread power outages, and almost all industrial companies have been shut down.

The authorities of unrecognised Transnistria stated that the available natural gas reserves would be enough for economical consumption until the end of January.

Last week, Vadim Krasnoselsky, the leader of the unrecognised republic, flew to Moscow to negotiate gas supplies, after which he said that supplies would soon resume as part of "humanitarian aid".