Protests erupted across Transnistria on Friday, with residents of the Moscow-backed separatist region demanding Moldovan authorities provide gas supplies amid an ongoing energy crisis. Russia’s Gazprom halted gas supplies to Transnistria on Jan.

By Iulian Ernst in Bucharest Moldova’s pro-Russian separatist Transnistria region has picked a natural gas trader, Cyprus-based Ozbor Enterprises managed by a former Gazprom executive, to import limited amounts of Russian natural gas through the Turkstream and Trans-Balkan pipelines after February 1.

Hundreds of people in the self-proclaimed state of Transnistria protested against the Moldovan government on Friday, accusing it of spurring an energy crisis triggered by Russia cutting off gas supplies,

Residents of Transnistria continue to freeze in their apartments and houses due to the forced blackout and lack of gas. But at the same time they say: "We will not give up and we will not bow to the Moldovan government.

Unrecognized Transnistria announced its readiness to purchase natural gas through the Moldovan company Moldovagaz. Tiraspol allegedly notified Chisinau of this

The crisis prompted a question: will the breakaway region, occupied by Russia since 1992, survive without Russian gas? Free-of-charge Russian gas had been the backbone of Transnistria's economy and ensured the preservation of the breakaway region and its de facto independence from Moldova.

Russia has long used its plentiful energy resources as a tool to exert control over the region, where independence from Russian energy is tied to political sovereignty.

Moldova is ready to provide financial assistance to Transnistria (PMR), but only after the army of the aggressor country, russia, leaves the territory of the

Russia will begin supplying gas as humanitarian aid to Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria, but not to the rest of Moldova, Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky announced on Wednesday, according to Russian state media.

The leader of breakaway Transnistria said Monday his government was ready to buy gas from Moldova, more than two weeks after a halt in Russian supplies plunged his region into crisis.

DAVOS: Moldova’s prime minister said on Wednesday the international community is ready to offer gas to end the energy crisis in Transnistria but a lasting solution hinges on Russia withdrawing its troops from the separatist region.

The Moscow-controlled breakaway region of Moldova will receive gas as a "humanitarian gesture" from the Kremlin, while the rest of the country will remain cut off after Russia halted supplies on 1 January,