Moldovan President Maia Sandu expressed confidence that Russian gas supplies to Transnistria violate the international sanctions regime and Moldovan legislation. In an interview with blogger Natan Garshtea, she noted that the use of intermediaries in this process is illegal and does not comply with the norms that regulate energy supplies in the region.
"Supply through intermediaries is an illegal option from the point of view of Moldovan legislation. This method also violates the international sanctions regime. It is unclear why Gazprom resorted to this idea at all when there is a simpler, legal and sanctions-free solution," — Sandu said, proposing to organize deliveries through the company Moldovagaz, which operates within the Moldovan jurisdiction.
Sandu stressed that the Chisinau authorities are taking measures to provide residents of the territory controlled by Moldova with access to heat, electricity, as well as for the normal operation of schools and kindergartens. She noted that this only concerns settlements located in the security zone under the jurisdiction of the Moldovan authorities.
Against this background, the head of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) Vadim Krasnoselsky, having returned from Moscow, reported that he had managed to agree on gas supplies from Russia. However, this statement caused sharp criticism from Chisinau. Krasnoselsky called on Sandu not to interfere with the organization of blue fuel supplies, noting that they are vital for the residents of the region, which has found itself in a gas blockade.
The situation worsened after January 1, 2025, when Ukraine refused to extend the agreement on the transit of Russian gas through its territory. This left not only Ukraine, but also Moldova and Transnistria without blue fuel. The consequences of the refusal to transit are especially noticeable for the PMR: centralized heating and hot water supply were turned off in houses, and rolling blackouts began on January 3.
Maia Sandu argues that the solution proposed by Chisinau could avoid the crisis. However, Transnistria, which enjoys de facto independence and close ties with Russia, insists on direct gas supplies.