Energy Crisis in Transnistria Claims Lives as People Attempt to Warm Homes
The energy crisis in the partially recognized Republic of Transnistria has led to a series of tragic incidents, with people losing their lives while attempting to warm their homes. According to the Foreign Minister of Transnistria, Vitaly Ignatyev, individuals are resorting to using open fires, which have resulted in fatal consequences.
“It’s not just a matter of heating, it’s a matter of life and death” Ignatyev said, without providing further details on the fatalities. “People are dying in fires because they are trying to heat their homes without gas.”
Despite the dire situation, the people of Transnistria remain hopeful, with Ignatyev stating that they still “believe in the best.” The official news agency of Transnistria, Nowosti Pridnestrowja, reported on a recent incident in the city of Bender, where a burning candle caused a fire that took three hours to extinguish, leaving a house uninhabitable.
In another instance, an oven overheated in a home in Parcani, causing the ceiling beam to start burning. Firefighters had to remind the homeowner of safety precautions, the agency reported.
The energy crisis in Transnistria is expected to worsen in the coming weeks, with the country’s gas reserves only sufficient for 24 days, according to the latest estimates. The situation has already led to a gas shortage affecting 122 settlements, with 1,500 homes, 131 schools, and 147 kindergartens without heating.
The head of the Republic, Vadim Krasnoselsky, has ruled out the possibility of Transnistria seeking to join the Republic of Moldova, stating that the country will not “fall on its knees” and beg for admission. The Russian Embassy in Moldova, on the other hand, has blamed the energy crisis on Kiev and Western countries.
The energy company Moldovagaz has stated that Tiraspol has rejected Chișinău’s proposal for gas supply and is waiting for the resumption of deliveries from Gazprom. However, Ignatyev has emphasized that the Republic of Moldova has not offered a solution to Transnistria’s energy problems.
President Krasnoselsky has also highlighted the importance of Russian gas in the past, stating that it has been the “humanitarian and technical help of Russia for Transnistria” over the years.