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.

People walk in Tiraspol in Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniestria, Jan. 4, 2025. Flows of Russian gas via Ukraine to central and eastern Europe stopped on New Year's Day after a transit deal expired between the warring countries and Kyiv refused to extend it.

Moldova faces a security crisis after tens of thousands of residents in the breakaway enclave of Transdniestria were cut off from Russian gas supply, Prime Minister Dorin Recean said on Friday. Flows of Russian gas via Ukraine which supplied central and eastern Europe were halted at the end of 2024 as Kyiv rejected doing further business with Moscow.