Russia Exploits Moldova’s Energy Crisis to Justify Potential Aggression

The Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned recent remarks by Putin's adviser as interference in Moldova’s internal affairs. The adviser blamed Chișinău’s “anti-Russian policy” for the energy crisis, claiming it could result in Moldova “becoming part of another state or ceasing to exist altogether.”

This was reported by NewsMaker on January 14.

In an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda, Nikolai Patrushev, an adviser to Vladimir Putin, accused the Moldovan government of being responsible for the country’s energy crisis, calling on Chișinău to “stop deceiving itself and its people” and to “acknowledge its mistakes and rectify the situation.”

“I do not rule out that Chișinău’s aggressive anti-Russian policy will result in Moldova either becoming part of another state or ceasing to exist altogether,” Patrushev said.

“Moldova is a sovereign state that stands firmly on the path of democracy and European integration, in line with the will of its citizens,” the Moldovan Foreign Ministry stated.

The ISW  commented on the Russian official’s statement, noting that Russia has long justified its war in Ukraine by claiming the need to protect its “compatriots.”

“Patrushev’s statements suggest that the Kremlin is setting conditions to exploit the artificially created gas crisis in Moldova to justify potential future Russian aggression against Moldova as a necessary response to Moldova’s policies that threaten Russian ‘compatriots’ in Moldova,” the ISW wrote in the January 14 report.

Previously, the Moldovan government has linked the energy crisis in the Transnistrian region, caused by the suspension of Russian gas supplies, to a broader Russian strategy of manipulation and propaganda.

The Moldovan government proposed energy and humanitarian aid to Transnistria, but the local authorities declined the offer. The European Commission has called on Transnistria to accept the Moldovan government’s offer of aid.