The head of Moldova’s breakaway region Transnistria has urged residents to burn firewood for heating and warned that blackouts cannot be avoided, after Moscow stopped supplying gas via Ukraine.

Moldova is navigating a security crisis after Transdniestria was severed from Russian gas supplies. Prime Minister Dorin Recean announced that despite internal production and imports, this has significantly impacted the separatist region,

Authorities in Moldova's separatist Transdniestria region on Sunday cut off gas supplies to several state institutions as a deal allowing Russian gas to transit through Ukraine comes to an end at the close of the year.