Transnistria's economy is collapsing due to the cessation of gas transit from Russia - intelligence

The economy of the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova, which has been under Russian occupation since the early 1990s, is experiencing a crisis amid energy problems and geopolitical instability. This is reported by UNN with reference to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.

Details

According to Ukrainian intelligence, the region's exports decreased by almost 60%, and imports by 24.5%. This is also evidenced by the new budget and tax concept for 2027–2029, adopted in Tiraspol, the capital of the unrecognized pro-Russian enclave.

The key factor in the decline was the cessation of virtually free Russian gas supplies transiting through Ukraine from January 1, 2025. As a result, industrial production fell by 27.3%, foreign trade by 28.5%, and real GDP decreased by almost 18%

Despite a partial recovery in production in early 2026, its level remains approximately 20% lower than in 2024. But foreign economic activity continues to decline, the Foreign Intelligence Service added.

At the same time, the local "authorities" were forced to delay salary payments to public sector employees due to the budget deficit - monetary payments were divided into parts.

The situation demonstrates the region's extremely critical dependence on Russian energy resources and the limitations of its economic model in conditions of isolation and unrecognized status. Currently, the Russian economy itself faces numerous problems - sanctions pressure, rising budget expenditures, and structural imbalances, which reduces its ability to provide financial assistance to Transnistria

Recall

Russia has intensified its work in the Transnistrian region of Moldova to divert Ukraine's resources to the growing threat from the pro-Russian enclave.