Authorities in Tiraspol have warned of another looming energy shortage on the left bank of the Dniester. Local officials informed separatist leader Vadim Krasnoselsky that preparations for the winter rely on three diesel stations, several coal-fired boilers, and only 500 tonnes of coal in reserve.
Echoes of the 2025 gas cutoff
The situation mirrors early 2025, when Russia’s state-owned company Gazprom halted gas deliveries to the region, leaving households without heating or hot water and forcing electricity to be rationed by the hour. The experience underscored the enclave’s reliance on external suppliers and the vulnerability of its energy infrastructure.
EU offer rejected in favor of risky contracts
Despite a European Union proposal to help secure gas supplies, Tiraspol declined, opting instead for a questionable arrangement with a Hungarian company through an offshore entity in Dubai. The deal was backed by loans from Russia, raising concerns about opaque financing and limited security of supply.
Moscow’s priorities under scrutiny
The crisis highlights what critics describe as the Kremlin’s tendency to prioritize costly wars and support for allies abroad, while residents of Transnistria face the prospect of another winter marked by freezing homes and rolling blackouts. Billions are spent on foreign ventures, yet ordinary people on the Dniester’s left bank are left to wonder how they will endure the cold months ahead.
