Consequence of the end of the transport of Russian natural gas through Ukraine. Put on more clothes and bring the family together in one room.
There are already consequences of Russian natural gas to Europe, through Ukraine.
The breach in the agreement between the Ukrainian natural gas transportation system and the Russian company Gazprom was confirmed today, January 1, and the Transnistria is already feeling the end of this historic agreement.
Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria cut off heating and hot water supply to families.
“There is no heating or hot water,” said an employee at the local energy company, Tirasteploenergo.
Heating cuts came into effect at 7am on Wednesday, but some facilities, such as hospitals, escaped to the cut.
When, the same person responsible warned that I didn’t know how long it would last this situation.
Tirasteploenergo advises local inhabitants to wear more clothes, bring family members together in a single roomhanging blankets or thick curtains on windows and balcony doors, and using electric heaters.
“AND prohibited or use of stoves a gas or electrical for heating the apartment. This could lead to a tragedy”, admitted the company.
It separated from Moldova in 1991 (end of the Soviet Union) and has strong links with Russia. It was one of the regions that received Russian natural gas through Ukraine.
A Moldavia even declared the state of emergency. This country sees its supply of Russian gas cut off in the context of a financial dispute with this former Soviet republic that has just re-elected a pro-European President.
Reactions
The suspension, starting today, of the transport of Russian natural gas through Ukraine was welcomed by Poland and Austria, but left Hungary and Slovakia uneasy.
The most exuberant reaction so far has been from Poland, where the Minister of Foreign Affairs considered the gesture as “a new victory” over Moscow.
Cutting Moscow’s ability to export gas directly to the European Union (EU) is “a new victory after the enlargement of NATO to Finland and Sweden”, considered Radoslaw Sikorski, on the social network X.
For its part, the Austria She appeared calm, adding that gas supply to the country is guaranteed.
“We did our work and we are well prepared for this scenario”, stated the Minister of Energy, Leonore Gewessler, explaining that the Government had already signed contracts to supply natural gas through other routes and suppliers.
Furthermore, the Central European country has the capacity to import a very high amount of energy annually to Germany and Italy.
The cut in gas supplies by Russian Gazprom to Austria had already taken place in mid-November due to a dispute over the fulfillment of contracts with the Austrian hydrocarbons company OMV, the largest in Central Europe and owned by the Austrian State.
Energy management entities and the Government then warned that they were prepared for the situation, that Austria has alternatives to supply these supplies and will not suffer shortages, despite having until then purchased more than 80% of the gas it consumed from Russia.
Me on Slovakia, the reaction was very different. Prime Minister Robert Fico warned of the serious consequences of interrupting gas transit through Ukraine, stating that “it will have a drastic impact on everyone in the EU and not just the Russian Federation”.
If dependence on Europe has been significantly reduced since the start of the war in Ukraine, states located in the East continue to obtain significant supplies from Moscow.
Robert Fico, who remains close to Vladimir Putin and whose country is highly dependent on Russian gas supplies, went to Moscow on December 22 to try to find an urgent solution.
A Hungary, which will only be marginally affected as most of its Russian gas imports are received via TurkStream, which passes under the Black Sea, also criticized the situation, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán arguing that it should not be “ leave this road.”
