Short of Heat and Power, the Breakaway Region of Transnistria Struggles Without Russian Gas

After struggling without heat for six days, a breakaway region in the Eastern European country of Moldova is now short of electricity, too, with the authorities ordering eight hours of power cuts a day to prevent the overloaded electricity system from collapsing.

The energy crisis in Transnistria, a sliver of pro-Russian territory between Moldova and Ukraine, began on Jan. 1 when Moscow stopped supplying natural gas through a pipeline running across Ukraine. It intensified this week as residents tried to keep warm using electric heaters, overloading and often blowing out an antiquated Soviet-era electricity grid. The power outages have in turn interrupted water supplies.

The halt in Russian gas deliveries, prompted by Ukraine’s refusal to renew an expiring gas transit deal, has raised questions about the survival of Transnistria, which declared itself an independent microstate in 1990 and has survived since then thanks to economic and military support from Moscow.

Inhabited largely by Russian speakers, Transnistria on Tuesday celebrated Orthodox Christmas, usually a festive occasion, but one that was made painful this year by the absence of gas for cooking and heat. In a grim Christmas message, the region’s president, Vadim Krasnoselsky, urged people not to give up, telling them “it is very important to hope for the best and believe that everything can be overcome.”

Moldova’s prime minister, Dorin Recean, said Monday that his government had offered to help Transnistria, located mostly on the left or eastern bank of the Dniester River, but had been rebuffed.

Transnistria’s leader, Mr. Krasnoselsky, said in remarks broadcast by local media that he had received no offers of help, accusing Moldova of trying to “strangle” his breakaway territory and force it to give up its claims to statehood, a status that is not recognized by any country.