Name: Moldova moves to seize Lukoil fuel terminal at Chisinau airport
Uploaded: 2026-01-08T16:25:34.642Z
Duration: 4 min 47 s
Description: Moldova plans to return to state ownership the aviation fuel terminal run by Russian company Lukoil at Chisinau International Airport. The decision comes in response to US and UK sanctions on Russia.

Moldova plans to return to state ownership the aviation fuel terminal run by Russian company Lukoil at Chisinau International Airport. The decision comes in response to US and UK sanctions on Russia.

Chișinău

The Republic of Moldova has initiated the process to return the aviation fuel terminal at Chisinau Airport to state ownership, reversing its 2005 privatization to Lukoil's Moldovan subsidiary. This action follows the imposition of US and UK sanctions on Russian oil companies, which Moldova has supported, and is based on alleged breaches of contractual obligations by Lukoil, including unmet investment commitments.

The Moldovan Ministry of Energy expects the transfer to be completed by mid-January 2026, with Lukoil reportedly cooperating but declining public comment. Some experts have raised concerns about the legal basis for the move and called for more transparency. There is also speculation that Lukoil may seek compensation through legal action once the contract is terminated.

Moldova moves to seize Lukoil fuel terminal at Chisinau airport

The Republic of Moldova has moved to restore state ownership of the aviation fuel terminal at Chisinau Airport. The terminal in question was privatized in 2005 and has been owned by the Moldovan subsidiary of Russian oil giant Lukoil ever since. At the end of October 2025, the United States imposed sanctions on the Russian companies Lukoil and Rosneft and their subsidiaries, aiming to reduce Russia's oil revenues and thus its ability to finance its war on Ukraine. The UK soon followed suit and the Republic of Moldova declared that it would support the sanctions. When the sanctions on Lukoil came into force late last year, the airport began buying fuel from Romania and storing it in Lukoil Moldova's fuel terminal to ensure uninterrupted air traffic at what is the country's only international airport. After subsequently seeking to purchase the aviation fuel terminal, Moldovan authorities decided to return it to state ownership, as it had been before 2005, citing breaches of contractual obligations by the company. Energy expert Alexandru Slussari welcomes the decision. In 2005, Lukoil purchased the aviation fuel terminal for 10 million Moldovan lei, worth about 600,000 euros at the time. This was a relatively small amount for such a key piece of strategic infrastructure. Moldova's Prime Minister Alexandru Muntianu has alleged that Lukoil for years violated contractual provisions, including by failing to meet investment obligations. As a result, the state now wants to terminate its contract with Lukoil. But some experts are concerned about the legal grounds put forward by the government, and believe that more transparency is needed on a number of aspects, including the sale of the terminal to Lukoil 20 years ago. Representatives of the Moldovan Ministry of Energy told DW that the procedure to return the fuel infrastructure to state ownership is expected to be completed by mid-January 2026, and that Lukoil is actively cooperating with the authorities. To date, however, Lukoil has made no public statements on the matter. DW contacted Lukoil Moldova for comment, but received no reply to its email request. When contacted by phone, a representative of Lukoil told DW that the company has no comment. Once the contract is terminated, the airport's critical fuel supply infrastructure will return to state ownership free of charge, because in the absence of a valid contract, the airport's fuel infrastructure reverts to the state. Some experts in Chisinau expect that Lukoil will sue the state and seek compensation. So, while the Moldovan state has made its intentions clear, it remains to be seen how Lukoil will respond.

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