Moldova braces for energy crisis as Russia halts gas supplies

On a cold morning in Chisinau, postal worker Petru Murzin expressed fears of a harsh winter, warning that many Moldovans will face "no heating, no light" amid an impending energy crisis.

Russia's state-owned Gazprom is set to halt gas supplies to Moldova on 1 January over a disputed $709 million (€680 million) debt, a figure dismissed by Moldova’s pro-Western government as confected for political reasons.

"I feel that we’ve entered a crisis that is quite difficult to resolve … which worries me greatly," Murzin told the Associated Press.

"Price increases are one thing, but when there is no gas at all, that’s something entirely different,” he added.

The gas cutoff threatens to cripple Moldova’s largest power plant, Kuciurgan, located in the separatist Transnistria region.

The plant supplies electricity to much of Moldova, and its shutdown could plunge the region into darkness.

Officials declared a state of emergency earlier this month, anticipating severe shortages. Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean accused Russia of using energy "as a political weapon" and dismissed the alleged debt, saying it was "invalidated by an international audit."

President Maia Sandu criticised the Kremlin’s actions, describing them as "energy blackmail" aimed at destabilising Moldova and undermining its EU aspirations.

Sandu assured that the country has sufficient gas supplies “for the heating season” as well as measures “to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply”.

However, she warned of serious humanitarian implications in Transnistria, where residents are expected to travel to Moldova for basic necessities.

"It is important to remain united, show solidarity, and trust in Moldova and its people. And to use energy rationally," she added.

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