Press Review // Moldova’s energy crisis: How Russia’s lies threaten stability
Falsehoods spread in the public sphere amid the energy crisis on the left bank of the Dniester continue to attract attention from national media.

Both the authorities in Chișinău and experts in the field are warning that these falsehoods are intended to destabilize the situation in Moldova, particularly ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for this year. Authorities have debunked Russian misinformation, with Radio Chișinău reporting: "Chișinău has never blocked natural gas supplies to the left bank of the Dniester."
The radio station quotes government spokesperson Daniel Vodă, who states: "The declarations of the so-called leader of Tiraspol are a direct replica of Moscow’s messages." According to Vodă, these statements aim to sow distrust between the two banks of the Dniester and steer public discourse onto a Russian track, lacking real solutions.
"The energy crisis in the Transnistrian region was manufactured by Moscow on January 1 through Gazprom’s ultimatum," Vodă adds. "The solution exists and is simple: adherence to the 2021 agreement. We don’t need inventions such as 'humanitarian gas' or false interpretations of Moldovan law by Tiraspol."
Did Chișinău make a mistake in letting Krasnoselski travel to Moscow? Chișinău does not regret letting Vadim Krasnoselski travel to Moscow, but acknowledges that the visit did not produce the expected results, said Oleg Serebrian, Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, during a TV8 broadcast.
What does the Kremlin stand to gain? Simply put: on one hand, if it were to enter Moldova, as it did in Belarus, it could encircle Ukraine; on the other hand, it would get closer to Romania, a European country, and thus nearer to the EU's border.
The autumn elections are of particular importance for our country, which seeks EU membership, as well as for Russia, which does not want to lose this piece of land, emphasizes ZdG.
Russia has used various pressure tactics under previous governments as well, but blackmail and threats have significantly intensified recently, which is no coincidence, observes columnist Olga Bulat.
Translation by Iurie Tataru