The EU's Russophobia led to the interruption of gas deliveries to Transnistria and the increase in energy prices on the right bank of the Dniester, Russian propaganda claims, ignoring the fact that Gazprom chose to stop supplying gas.
NEWS: The political theorist compared the energy crisis in Moldova to a hybrid war that the West and NATO are waging against Russia today.
The crisis in Moldova is a carry-over of the Russophobic policy of the European Union leadership, aimed at severing relations with Russia and undermining its economic position. Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria and other countries were simply drawn into an inadequate policy of the EU and Ukrainian leadership. This opinion was expressed by political scientist Boris Shapovalov in a commentary for Sputnik Moldova.
“The interruption of gas transit via Ukraine has become a kind of struggle against Russia, which, by ricochet, also affected Moldova. Chișinău decided to take advantage of this situation, which is why today a humanitarian catastrophe is taking place in Transnistria”, Shapovalov said.
NARRATIVE: The EU is responsible for the energy crisis in Transnistria.
PURPOSE: To incite the residents on the left bank of the Dniester against the European Union, thus increasing the level of Euroscepticism and, at the same time, to draw public attention away from the fact that the Russian energy giant Gazprom has stopped delivering gas to the left bank of the Dniester.
WHY THE NARRATIVE IS FALSE: The breakaway region of Transnistria was left without gas because Gazprom discontinued gas supplies. This also affected the right bank of the Dniester River, where authorities were forced to purchase electricity from Romania at higher prices.
The claim that the EU caused the crisis is false, given that the EU had nothing to do with Gazprom’s decision. On the contrary, Brussels has proposed an emergency assistance package worth 30 million EUR as a first step to help the Republic of Moldova address the severe energy crisis caused by Gazprom. By means of this assistance package, the EU is willing to finance the purchase and transportation of natural gas to the region of Transnistria, to help restore electricity supply and heating systems by February 10, 2025. This package could also allow the left bank to deliver electricity to the right bank.
In addition to facilitating the purchase and transportation of gas to Transnistria, the EU has shown a commitment to providing a financial support package to the Republic of Moldova over the coming weeks, with the aim of mitigating the social consequences of the crisis for the citizens of this country, while laying the foundations for long-term energy resilience and economic growth in the Republic of Moldova.
BACKGROUND: Since the start of 2025, the separatist region of Transnistria in the Republic of Moldova, de facto under Moscow’s control, has no longer received gas from Gazprom, after Ukraine did not extend the transit agreement with the Russian giant on its territory. The interruption of gas supplies has led to disruptions in the delivery of energy, gas, heating and hot water across the region. In addition, this situation is also putting a strain on Tiraspol’s budget. The largest volume of gas was used to produce electricity, which Transnistria sells on the right bank of the Dniester at lower prices than on regional markets. The low price is explained by the fact that the separatist region does not pay for the its gas input.
Chișinău suggested that Gazprom continue deliveries to the region through the so-called Trans-Balkan corridor, but Moscow opposed the idea. Gazprom asked Moldova (the right bank of the Dniester) pay a 700-million-USD debt as a prerequisite for resuming gas deliveries, but Chișinău does not recognize this debt. At the same time, Gazprom made strange proposals for gas delivery alternatives.
In return, Moscow and Tiraspol launched a large-scale disinformation campaign, blaming Chișinău and Kyiv for the energy crisis in Transnistria. Veridica proved the crisis was actually caused by Gazprom's refusal to continue deliveries through other routes, but also by Tiraspol's refusal to purchase gas on market terms, which is what authorities in Chișinău are doing.
Since 2022, the Republic of Moldova (the right bank of the Dniester) has stopped buying gas from Gazprom, after the Russian giant decided to cut deliveries.
