After Moldovan natural gas company Moldovagaz rectified violations related to payment for current supplies of Russian gas in November, Gazprom on Monday decided against reducing the gas supply to Moldova via Ukraine.
Announcing it has received funds for gas intended for Moldovan consumers that settled in Ukrainian territory, Gazprom decided not to reduce gas supply to the Sudzha gas pumping station for transit to Moldova
The Russian holding, however, said in a statement on Monday it reserves the right to lower or halt flows in the future if Moldova failed to make the agreed payments, noting that the country has regularly violated its contractual obligations regarding the payment for Russian gas.
Moldovagaz’s head Vadim Ceban said on Monday that amid the increased gas demand by the breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniestria – where Russian troops are stationed – the advance November gas bill had doubled to $42 million, but pointed out that the company had footed the bill.
In another sign that gas flows via the Sudzha gas pumping station were uninterrupted, Gazprom said in a separate statement on Monday that it will ship 42.2 mcm of gas to Europe via Ukraine on Monday – slightly down from Sunday’s level of 42.6 mcm- pointing out that the Ukrainian side has rejected Gazprom’s request for pumping through Sokhranovka.
Gazprom announced last week it could start reducing gas flows from Monday after it accused Ukraine of withholding gas supplies that pass through its territory on the way to Moldova although Kyiv denied the accusations.
The Russian state gas producer warned that if the transit imbalance persisted, it planned to start reducing the gas supply via Ukraine in the volume of daily short supply starting November 28.
After the gas transport through the Nord Stream has been suspended, the only route to supply western and central European countries with Russian gas remains the transit line through Ukraine since TurkStream and Blue Stream are intended for gas deliveries for Turkey and Southern and Southeastern Europe.
