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.

In the capital of Transnistria, a Kremlin-backed microstate sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine, the festive New Year’s lights have gone dark ahead of schedule. This separatist sliver of Moldova will run out of energy in three weeks,

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 buzzing sound of chainsaws and generators is now common in Varnița, a village of 5,000 that borders Moldova's Russian-controlled region of Transnistria. Located next to the Russian-controlled city of Bender (Tighina),

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.

The Kremlin on Thursday said it was willing provide gas to Transnistria, after Russia's cut-off of supplies this month plunged the separatist region of Moldova into an energy crisis.

Solovyov proposed a land corridor through NATO countries, likening it to Trump's call to acquire Greenland for U.S. security.

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,

Russia plans to buy gas in Europe with the help of an intermediary company to supply it to Transnistria. This step is being discussed after gas transit through Ukraine stopped, according to Kommersant.

Residents of Transnistria face severe energy shortages after Russia halted gas supplies, leading to factory closures and blackouts.

Russia plans to resume natural gas flows to Moldova’s pro-Russian breakaway region of Transnistria amid an energy crisis, according to Vadim Krasnoselsky, leader of the self-proclaimed republic.