Kyiv Ends Flow of Russian Gas to Europe After Denying Transit Agreement

SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Ukraine cut off access to a crucial Russian natural gas line running through the country and parts of Europe on Wednesday, Jan. 1. The move marks the end to more than 60 years of Moscow‘s control over European energy markets.

The gas kept flowing for the past three years despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Kyiv expectedly declined to renew a transit agreement with Russia, ending access to the pipeline.

The last remaining European Union nations buying Russian gas through Ukraine, including Slovakia and Austria, will now lean on alternative energy supplies.

Hungary will continue to rely on Russian natural gas via Turkey through the TurkStream pipeline underneath the Black Sea. Other regions are not as fortunate.

Transnistria, a pro-Moscow region of Ukraine’s neighbor Moldova, relies on the Russian pipeline. Now, the region no longer has access to heat or hot water amid freezing temperatures. Only hospitals and critical infrastructure are being supplied with heat and hot water.

Electricity remains flowing for now, but the region’s main power plant already switched to coal. Authorities said there is only enough fuel supply left for 50 days.

Kyiv vowed to help Transnistria find alternative power supplies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the end of the transit agreement was “one of Moscow’s biggest defeats,” calling on the United States to supply more gas to Europe. He added that it’s Europe’s “joint task” to support Moldova “in this period of energy transformation.”

Courtesy: www.san.com