Moldova’s Prime Minister warns of a potential security crisis and condemns the halt of Russian gas supplies

Moldova is currently experiencing a security crisis, as Prime Minister Dorin Recean announced on Friday that tens of thousands of residents in the breakaway region of Transdniestria have been cut off from Russian gas supplies. The cessation of Russian gas flows through Ukraine, which previously supplied central and eastern Europe, occurred at the end of 2024 after Kyiv decided to cease business dealings with Moscow.

Recean indicated that Moldova would meet its energy requirements through domestic production and imports, but acknowledged that the separatist region of Transdniestria has been significantly impacted despite its connections to Russia.

“By endangering the future of the protectorate it has supported for three decades in an attempt to destabilize Moldova, Russia is demonstrating the inevitable fate of all its allies – betrayal and isolation,” Recean stated. “We view this as a security crisis designed to facilitate the resurgence of pro-Russian forces in Moldova and to weaponize our territory against Ukraine, with which we share a 1,200 km border.”

The southeast European nation, home to approximately 2.5 million people, has gained attention since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, amid escalating tensions between Moscow and Western nations. Pro-European President Maia Sandu, who secured a second term in last year’s election, has committed to advancing reforms and strengthening democratic processes. Moldova is set to conduct a parliamentary election this summer.

The predominantly Russian-speaking region of Transdniestria, which separated from Moldova in the 1990s, previously received Russian gas through Ukraine. Meanwhile, Moldova relied heavily on Transdniestria for its electricity supply. However, with Kyiv indicating it would cease gas transit from Russia, the government in Chisinau has been making alternative arrangements, incorporating a combination of domestic energy production and electricity imports from Romania, according to Recean.

He emphasized that the Moldovan government is dedicated to supporting the enclave. “We have prepared alternative energy solutions, including biomass systems, generators, humanitarian assistance, and vital medical supplies, which are ready for delivery if the leadership of the breakaway region is willing to accept our support,” the government stated.

Vadim Krasnoselsky, the pro-Russian leader of Transdniestria, has claimed that the region possesses gas reserves sufficient for approximately 10 days of limited use in the northern areas and double that duration in the south.