Moldova's separatist region says gas running out

By Alexander Tanas

CHISINAU (Reuters) - The leader of Moldova's separatist Transdniestria region, gripped by power and heating cuts, said on Friday that gas reserves would be exhausted within days and urged the central government to end "artificial delays" and provide new supplies.

But Moldova's prime minister said the solution could be solved only if Russian gas producer Gazprom resumed shipments to Moldova, or if the pro-Russian separatist region agreed to pay for gas secured on European markets.

Transdniestria, which split from Moldova as the Soviet Union was collapsing, had long received Russian gas passing through Ukraine, but authorities in Kyiv, locked in a nearly three-year war with Moscow, have refused to extend a transit agreement.

The gas was also used to run a thermal plant that provided most of the power in government-held areas of Moldova.

Transdniestria's self-styled president, Vadim Krasnoselsky, said many of his region's 350,000 residents were falling ill or dying from fires and carbon monoxide poisoning after trying to keep warm in winter conditions.

"In a couple of days, the gas remaining in the pipelines will be gone. Without it, things will be very tough," he told Russian television Rossiya-24, according to a summary of his comments on the website of the region's parliament.

"If the gas disappears it will take two to three months to get the heating going again in residential buildings."

The region, he said, had agreed to conditions from Moldova's authorities, including purchasing more expensive European gas.

"Five days have passed and we see nothing from Moldova but false accusations," he said. "Moldova is artificially dragging everything out to push the humanitarian situation to the limit."

Krasnoselsky had earlier appealed to U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and several world leaders, asking for help in resolving the energy crisis.

The region endures four to five hours of power cuts daily. Hundreds of residents gathered at crossing points into government-held areas, urging authorities to "let the gas in".

Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean, in a address posted on social media, said only his two proposed solutions could restore gas flows to the rebel region.

"The Moldovan government wants the region to have gas," he said. "But the Kremlin does not want to resume gas supplies. It wants to create conflict between people on the east bank of the Dniester River and those on the other side."

Government officials said no payment had been received from Transdniestria to cover gas purchases. Moldova has long been at odds with Russia, denouncing Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and accusing the Kremlin of trying to unseat its government.

Gazprom has said it cannot resume gas flows to Moldova until its authorities settle $709 million in arrears, a figure disputed by the government.

(Reporting by Alexander Tanas, Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Rod Nickel)