Moldovan President Maia Sandu accused Russia on March 25 of deliberately targeting infrastructure in Ukraine in ways that destabilise Moldova’s water and energy systems, following a series of incidents affecting the country’s utilities.

The accusations come after Russian drone attacks in southern Ukraine disrupted the Isaccea–Vulcănești power line — Moldova’s main connection to Romania’s electricity grid, which normally supplies 60–70% of the country’s consumption — and after earlier strikes caused oil pollution in the Dniester River, Moldova’s main source of drinking water.

“Russia continues to deliberately undermine the security of the Republic of Moldova and endanger the lives of our citizens,” Sandu said, according to Jurnal. She added that beyond energy pressure, Moscow has engaged in destabilisation efforts, including propaganda and interference.

The Moldovan authorities have taken emergency measures to manage the situation. On March 24, Parliament approved a 60-day state of emergency in the energy sector. The government has since ordered a 30% reduction in electricity consumption in public institutions, introduced rules for large industrial consumers and issued recommendations for households to cut usage.

According to the Ministry of Energy cited by TV8, repairs to the Isaccea–Vulcănești line could take at least five to seven days, but can only begin after demining teams secure the affected areas in Ukraine.

The Isaccea-Vulcănești line has a total length of 52 kilometres on the Moldovan-Ukrainian segment, of which 40 kilometres are on the territory of Ukraine, and another 4 kilometres cross Romania.

Authorities warn that during peak hours, the energy deficit could reach 350-400 MW, and power outages are not ruled out.

President Sandu stressed that recent events — including the pollution of the Dniester following a strike on a Ukrainian hydropower facility and the latest disruption of electricity supply — are not accidental.

“All these are not accidents, but deliberate actions by Russia to weaken and leave the Republic of Moldova in the dark,” she said, adding that while the system is still functioning, it is under “enormous pressure.”

"We can consider that this attack was deliberate against the Republic of Moldova. [...] Obviously, it is a deliberate attack, and it is not the first time that Russia has committed such crimes," Parliament speaker Ion Grosu stressed..

Despite the disruptions, authorities say the energy system remains operational, relying on alternative imports and domestic measures to avoid outages.