Moldova on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the energy sector after a key power line with Europe was disconnected following overnight Russian strikes in Ukraine.
Parliament adopted the decision to declare the emergency for 60 days, starting from Wednesday, it said in a statement.
Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu said the measure was necessary so action could be taken swiftly.
He also appealed to people to “avoid unnecessary consumption, especially during peak hours” and “stay united,” according to the statement from parliament.
The government adopted the measure earlier on Tuesday during an urgent cabinet meeting.
The former Soviet republic imports electricity from neighbouring European Union member Romania, mostly via a power cable which passes through southern Ukraine.
The Moldovan authorities said crashed drones have been identified in Ukraine near the line and that “demining operations” are needed before repairs can be done.
Restoring the power line itself is expected to take up to seven days, energy minister Dorin Junghietu was quoted by Moldovan media outlet Ziarul de Garda as saying.
“Russia alone bears responsibility,” President Maia Sandu wrote on X, while the foreign ministry also condemned the Russian attacks.
The Isaccea-Vulcanesti power line had already been affected at the end of January, when disruptions in Ukraine’s power grid led to outages both in Moldova and Ukraine.
In Moldova, the capital and other towns were left without power for several hours. Traffic and border crossings were managed manually.
Moldova produces its own electricity but also uses imports, mostly from neighbouring Romania.
Russia has frequently targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since it invaded its neighbour in 2022.
Kyiv says this winter has been the toughest yet.