Thousands without heating in Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region, after Russian gas supplies cut

The head of Moldova’s breakaway region Transnistria has urged residents to burn firewood for heating and warned that blackouts cannot be avoided, after Moscow stopped supplying gas via Ukraine.

Vadim Krasnoselskyi, the president of the Russian-backed separatist sliver on Moldova’s eastern flank, said in a message on Telegram on Friday that “1,500 multi-story apartment buildings have no heating and hot water. Almost 72,000 private households have no gas. One hundred and fifty gas boiler houses have been shut down.”

“Fortunately, our region is rich in wood. There are still reserves,” he added, encouraging residents in rural areas with active stoves to find and burn wood where possible.