The breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria has taken the drastic step of cutting heating and hot water supplies to households following a disruption in gas supply from Russia via Ukraine. This move has left residents in the region, which split from Moldova in 1991, without essential utilities.
According to a local energy company, Tirasteploenergo, there is currently no heating or hot water available to residents in Tiraspol, the main city of Transnistria. The company has not provided a timeline for when services may be restored.
Transnistria, a pro-Russian entity, had been receiving gas from Russia through Ukraine. However, this supply route was abruptly halted due to the expiration of a transit agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
The energy company's website stated that the heating cuts came into effect at 7 a.m. local time on Wednesday, with exceptions made for critical facilities such as hospitals. In response to the situation, residents have been advised to take precautions such as dressing warmly, gathering in a single room, and using electric heaters.
It is important to note that the company has explicitly prohibited the use of gas or electric stoves for heating, emphasizing the potential dangers associated with such actions.
Transnistria has coexisted relatively peacefully with Moldova since a brief conflict in 1992, with a presence of Russian troops in the region. The local parliament has reached out to the Kremlin and Russian parliament in an effort to secure a new agreement with Ukraine to resume gas supplies.
Russia had been supplying Moldova with approximately 2 billion cubic meters of gas annually through Transnistria. However, Moldova has accused Russia of leveraging its energy dependence to sow instability, a claim that Moscow has denied.
