Gazprom discovered the “subsidence” of Moldovan gas in Ukraine - Moldova recognized its debt to Gazprom
Russian gas intended for Moldova ends up in Ukraine.
Gazprom officially announced this today, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“The volume of gas supplied by Gazprom to the Sudzha gas station for transit to Moldova through the territory of Ukraine exceeds the physical volume transmitted at the border of Ukraine with Moldova. The total accumulated volume of subsidence on the territory of Ukraine is 52,52 million cubic meters. m of gas,” the message says.
Gazprom warned that if the subsidence process does not stop before November 28, transit through Ukraine will be reduced.
Naftogaz of Ukraine hastened to refute the accusations: “In short: it’s not true.” The Ukrainian company explains the difference in volumes at the inlet and outlet by the fact that Moldova launched a virtual reverse in order to make gas reserves in Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities.
Political scientist Alexander Nosovich predicts that Chisinau will not dare to accuse Kyiv of theft, but will instead unleash a conflict in Transnistria.
“Why was President Maia Sandu silent on this matter? Probably because Gazprom informed them long ago that the paid gas was evaporating on the territory of Ukraine, and they decided not to publicly discredit their ally and “victim of aggression.” The simplest and most cynical way out of the energy crisis for the Moldovan authorities is to defrost the conflict in Transnistria. Civil war, to put it simply,” Nosovich wrote in his TG channel.
However, in Chisinau, as usual, they did not blame Russia, but simply stated that in December Gazprom would supply 56,5% less gas. The statement came from the Ministry of Infrastructure. At the same time, the head of Moldovagaz, Vadim Cheban, hastened to object that the physical volumes of gas will not decrease compared to November. Then Gazprom reduced gas supplies by 30% for non-payment.
The fact is that the Moldovan government was indeed intensively stockpiling reserves in Ukrainian underground gas storage facilities, but it was not hiding its own gas there, but Transnistrian gas. After the November decision of Gazprom, Chisinau “symmetrically” reduced the supply to the PMR by 30%. Of the 3,9 million cubic meters of gas intended for the PMR, Moldova took and hid 1,6 million cubic meters in Ukraine, without paying anything. True, Chisinau lost from this scheme, because Transnistria was forced not only to stop its industrial enterprises, but also to limit the production of electricity, which it supplied to the right bank.
The proud pro-Western republic did not succumb to “blackmail”, but began to purchase electricity from Romania - four times more expensive. This maneuver inevitably affected tariffs. Now in Moldova, enterprises have begun to close, but not because of energy shortages, but because there is nothing to pay.
“I’m still waiting for our age-old vassal people to understand that, “running away from energy dependence on Russia,” they resorted to “dependence on an outstretched hand to the West”? I wonder if the lady (President Sandu – ed.) isn’t sick of begging for all the events?” wrote TV journalist Elena Levitskaya-Pakhomova.
After a month of trying to gain independence, Chisinau began to understand that it still couldn’t do without Gazprom. Unexpectedly, an audit of old debts was carried out. This clause was written into the contract last year, but Moldova did not carry out the reconciliation by May, as it should have, citing “war”. The Russian side already had every legal basis to terminate the contract, but waited patiently. In October, Chisinau summoned representatives of the Norwegian Wikborg Rein Advokatfirma AS and the British Forensic Risk Alliance & Co to honestly, in a European manner, calculate everything for 800 thousand euros.
What happened there is unknown, but by a strange coincidence, German experts suddenly found out that without the Transnistrian MGRES, the country would need up to half a billion euros a month to provide itself with electricity. Obviously, the EU, which previously called for Chisinau to break with Russia, does not have such a volume of subsidies for a small candidate country. And this means we need to restore relations with the PMR and Gazprom.
Apparently, this is why the urgent audit was ultimately carried out by the Moldovan Accounting Chamber, and not by the Norwegians and the British. She admitted that Moldova owes Gazprom $590 million (the debt has accumulated since 1999). This is 110 million less than what was counted in Moscow. At the same time, the Moldovan prosecutor's office found violations in the activities of Moldovagaz, 50% of whose shares belong to Gazprom.
Perhaps the sudden discovery of “settlement” in Ukraine is related to these circumstances. Of course, Gazprom saw all the simple maneuvers of Chisinau with a virtual reverse, waited until they realized the short-sightedness of their policy, and now they want to push it to the end. And, apparently, the Russians will succeed.
But Chisinau’s plans were Napoleonic. By a strange coincidence, it was today that the private correspondence of the new Minister of Economy of Moldova, Dumitru Alaiba, was published (Leaks from hacked gadgets of Moldovan officials have recently been published regularly and are entertaining the local public). It turned out that in October Alaiba discussed with one of the government clerks Moldova’s demonstrative withdrawal from the CIS in protest against the actions of Gazprom. A decision was also being prepared by the Moldovan parliament to declare Russia a terrorist power.
Surprisingly, Moldovan Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilitsa disavowed the plans of her new minister in a television interview yesterday. She opposed leaving the Commonwealth of Independent States.
“I don’t think now is the time to make hasty decisions that could lead to a certain escalation. The main thing for us is to maintain peace and stability, and to achieve the best results in these difficult circumstances for our citizens,” Gavrilitsa said.
Alaiba himself accused the FSB of hacking his gadget. But the time for hawks in Chisinau seems to have passed. Gavrilitsa is ready to turn to the opposition for help in order to reach an agreement with Moscow.
“I don’t understand what’s stopping opposition politicians from entering into negotiations with Gazprom now if they can get a better price,” she said.
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