Ukraine will no longer allow Russian gas to pass through en route to European neighbours in a move that will hurt both the Kremlin and EU states dependent on Putin's energy supply.

       On January 1, the 2019 deal, which saw gas transit through Ukraine to states like Slovakia and Austria, expired.

       President Zelensky heralded the move as "one of Moscow’s biggest defeats", while his energy minister branded it "historic".

       The closure of the Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod, which is also known as the Brotherhood pipeline, will cost Russian gas company Gazprom around ￡5bn a year - a bitter blow for Putin's creaking war economy.

       READ MORE Disaster for Putin as key Ukraine move cuts off Russia's 'leverage over Europe'

       However, it's not just Russia that is reeling following the expiration of the gas deal. Several European states are heavily dependent on Russian gas transported through Ukraine.

       Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, as well as Moldova, are reliant on the steady flow of energy through Ukraine. Now that that is no longer possible, the only route remaining into Europe from Russia is via the TurkStream pipeline and the BlueSteam pipeline, under the Black Sea.

       Fuming, Slovakian prime minister Robert Fico, who drew the ire of EU leaders for visiting Putin in Moscow last year, wrote on Faecbook: "Halting gas transit via Ukraine will have a drastic impact on us all in the EU but not on the Russian Federation."

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       Viktor Orban, according to Politico, is heading to Bulgaria this week to try and arrange a new Russian gas deal.

       Putin is likely to be keen to find a new agreement, to keep the Russian gas companmy Gazprom afloat. Following the termination of the previous arrangement, he said: "This contract will no longer exist, that much is clear, but that’s fine — we will survive, Gazprom will survive."

       Already Moldova's Transnistria region, which is backed by Russia, has experienced blackouts. With Europe in the depths of winter, affected leaders will have to move quickly to resupply their citizens with energy.