Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria eases Sunday blackouts From Reuters

(Reuters) – Authorities in Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region said on Saturday that energy conservation measures had allowed them to ease restrictions caused by a shutdown of Russian gas supplies, with the duration of the interruptions to be further reduced.

Transnistria’s pro-Russian leaders said via the region’s official Telegram channel that curfews would be reduced to three hours on Sunday from eight hours earlier this week, although on Sunday they said the cut-off time will be extended to five hours from Monday.

Moldova’s pro-European central government has renewed its criticism of Russia, saying it caused the energy crisis and now wants to portray itself as the power that came to the rescue of the separatist region.

Transdniestria, which broke away from Moldova at the end of Soviet rule, has relied on Russian gas shipped through Ukraine. Authorities in Ukraine, locked in a 34-month conflict with Russia, have refused to extend a transit agreement in 2025.

Russian gas major Gazprom ( MCX: ) has said it will not send gas to Moldova via alternative routes, citing what it describes as Moldovan arrears of $709 million. Moldova, which denounces the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, disputes this figure.

“With the current super efficiency in consumption, Transnistria will have enough gas until the end of January,” the Telegram channel quoted Prime Minister Sergei Obolonik as saying.

NIGHT SHIFT

Many factories switched to night shifts, when the power grid is under less strain, but authorities said one plant, a cement manufacturer in the town of Rybnitsa, had closed.

A steel mill of critical importance for the region is also closed in the city.

The Russian gas supplied to the separatist region fed a thermal power plant that provided electricity for both Transnistria and most of the needs of the government-held regions.

Daniel Voda, press secretary of Moldova’s central government, said suggestions that Russia might give in and eventually send gas to Transdniestria did not alter Moscow’s responsibility for the energy crisis.

“Every time Russia wants to show its strength, it cuts vital resources and turns people into hostages,” Voda told Nokta media.

“This is an experiment with people that shows that Moscow is not concerned about the comfort and safety of residents … No one deserves to live in fear and in the cold.”

The Moldovan government has accused Russia of artificially creating the energy crisis to destabilize the country ahead of parliamentary elections this summer. He has offered to help Transnistria deal with the power shortage, but leaders of the breakaway region deny receiving any official proposal.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu said Gazprom could supply gas to Transdniestria via an alternative route, the Turkstream pipeline through Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania.

Transnistria fought a brief war against Moldovan government forces in 1992 and still hosts 1,500 Russian troops in the tiny territory next to Ukraine.