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A $290 Million Gas Bill for Transnistria: Unpacking the Payment Scheme

Високі витрати на газ для невизнаного регіону: як формуються фінансові зобов'язання?

Gas Supplies to Transnistria in 2025

In 2025, Transnistria received 689.2 million cubic meters of natural gas, with an estimated value of $290 million, supplied through the company Moldovagaz. This complex, multi-tiered supply chain involves the Hungarian MET Group. Authorities in Tiraspol have stated that Russia is covering the cost of the region's gas, highlighting the supply's critical importance to the local economy. Transnistria is a breakaway region of Moldova, heavily reliant on external support for its energy and economy.

The gas is routed from the Hungarian MET Group to the Moldovan border, then transferred to Moldovagaz, and finally to Tiraspoltransgaz in Transnistria. Throughout the year, the region faced repeated gas shortages, threatening the stability of its energy supply. Transnistrian authorities rejected a proposal from Chisinau to purchase European gas instead of Russian, opting to continue relying on supplies from Gazprom.

Gas Supply Situation and Energy Dependence

Tiraspol also anticipates the resumption of gas supplies from Gazprom under the current contract, which expires in 2026. Following a gas crisis last winter, Russia restored supplies to the region, a crucial step in stabilizing Transnistria's energy needs. This situation underscores the region's deep dependence on Russian energy resources and the impact of multi-layered supply schemes on its energy security.

Gas supplies are critically important for Transnistria's economy, as its energy reliance on Russia remains high. Amid the shortages experienced in the past and the refusal to buy European gas, the region continues to depend on Russian energy resources. This dynamic could influence the political and economic relations between Transnistria, Moldova, and Russia, as well as the future stability of energy supplies in the region.