The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia was ready to provide gas to Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region, but needed logistical support from Moldova to make that happen. Vadim Krasnoselsky, the leader of the separatist enclave,

Hundreds of thousands of people have been left without heating and hot water after Russia halted gas supplies to the region on Jan. 1, over an alleged $709 million debt for past supplies.

A humanitarian catastrophe is looming for the 367,000 inhabitants of Transnistria, a region of Moldova living under pro-Russian separatist control. Counting on rising discontent in both Transnistria and Moldova ahead of the parliamentary elections,

Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region expects to receive Russian gas again soon to meet its needs, its leader Vadim Krasnoselsky said on Wednesday, two weeks into crippling power cuts in the Russian-backed enclave.

Every time planned electrical outages are imposed on his village in southern Moldova, 73-year-old retiree Vasili Donici passes the time by solving crosswords and puzzles in a room he illuminates using a small gas lamp.

"Russian propaganda tries to create a story in which Moldova becomes a ‘problematic actor,’ although the government has proposed clear solutions to avoid the crisis," Moldovan government spokesperson Daniel Voda said on Jan.

The move was connected with, but not required by, the expiration at the end of 2024 of Russia’s contract with Ukraine for transit of natural gas to Europe. The looming energy crisis is likely to have a strong negative effect on Moldova’s ruling pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) in parliamentary elections due in the second half of 2025.

The energy crisis in Transnistria is being used as a tool of Russian blackmail against Moldova, claims OSW expert Kamil Całus. "Moscow is exploiting the situation for propaganda purposes and to influence Moldovan voters,

The energy crisis in Transnistria is being used as a tool of Russian blackmail against Moldova, according to Center for Eastern Studies expert Kamil Całus. "Moscow is leveraging the situation for propaganda purposes and to influence Moldovan voters,

The energy crisis in Transnistria is being utilised by Russia as a form of blackmail against Moldova, according to Centre for Eastern Studies expert Kamil Całus. He states, "Moscow is using the situation for propaganda purposes and to influence Moldovan voters.