"Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration has begun what he promises will be regular direct addresses to Transnistrian residents."
"Russia will illegally open 16 polling stations in Transnistria for the upcoming Duma elections."
Other than the polling stations and the shenanigans with Russian passports, is the Russian Federation taking any concrete steps to prop up the Transnistrian regime or halt the process of convergence? Is Gazprom gas still absent from Moldova?
Well, they are still spending a lot of money on gas. Recent estimates suggest that it's around €500 million a year. I don't know if that number is based on past volumes, current consumption or free market vs direct supply (I'll have to find a link later). In any case, hundreds of millions of euros worth of energy.
Russia. Sorry, your question was about Russia. They no longer have direct delivery options across Ukraine, so the gas is being purchased on the open market via shell companies. We've covered this a bit at the resolution of the last big energy crisis but I know it gets really complicated. Basically, the cost of getting gas there has gone up greatly but they are still subsidizing it. The regional "authorities" / companies / people are also paying more - but without Russian subsidies it would all literally collapse.
"Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration has begun what he promises will be regular direct addresses to Transnistrian residents."
"Russia will illegally open 16 polling stations in Transnistria for the upcoming Duma elections."
Other than the polling stations and the shenanigans with Russian passports, is the Russian Federation taking any concrete steps to prop up the Transnistrian regime or halt the process of convergence? Is Gazprom gas still absent from Moldova?
Hi Benjamin,
Well, they are still spending a lot of money on gas. Recent estimates suggest that it's around €500 million a year. I don't know if that number is based on past volumes, current consumption or free market vs direct supply (I'll have to find a link later). In any case, hundreds of millions of euros worth of energy.
"They" here meaning the Transnistrian administration?
Russia. Sorry, your question was about Russia. They no longer have direct delivery options across Ukraine, so the gas is being purchased on the open market via shell companies. We've covered this a bit at the resolution of the last big energy crisis but I know it gets really complicated. Basically, the cost of getting gas there has gone up greatly but they are still subsidizing it. The regional "authorities" / companies / people are also paying more - but without Russian subsidies it would all literally collapse.