Official announcements from Gazprom or Moldovan government, major news outlets

Gazprom to Cut Off Gas to Moldova on January 1; Moldova Denies $709 Million Debt

Dec 28, 2024, 04:17 PM

Russian energy giant Gazprom announced that it will halt natural gas supplies to Moldova starting at 8:00 a.m. Moscow time on January 1, 2025, citing unpaid debts by Moldovagaz totaling $709 million. The company claims that Moldovagaz has regularly failed to meet payment obligations and violated contract terms. Moldova denies the existence of such debt, with Prime Minister Dorin Recean stating that Gazprom's decision confirms the Kremlin's intent to use energy as a political weapon to leave residents of Transnistria without light and heat. The gas cutoff is expected to affect the Transnistria region, which relies heavily on Russian gas for electricity generation. Moldovan authorities are bracing for severe power cuts and have been preparing contingency plans. The Moldovan government may consider international arbitration over the dispute.