Chisinau, Moldova | AFP
Moldova has triggered an environmental alert following a fuel spill in the Dniester River triggered by a Russian military strike in Ukraine, the government said Sunday.
Authorities have “declared a state of environmental alert in the Dniester River basin for 15 days, effective March 16, 2026,” the CNMC government crisis management centre said in a statement.
The fuel spill is thought to have been caused by a Russian attack on the Dniester Hydroelectric Power Plant in Ukraine on March 7.
Ukrainian authorities first reported contamination in the river on March 10 near Lyadova and other settlements, calling the incident a “manifestation of Russia’s environmental aggression”.
The pollution quickly moved downstream into Moldova, where emergency teams have installed absorbent barriers and urged residents to follow official guidance while the situation remains unstable.
Moldovan authorities have urged several communities not to drink, cook with or otherwise use water from the Dniester River until further notice, and in some areas water supply has been suspended.
The amount of fuel spilled is not known, but Ukrainian authorities have described the incident as a “large-scale leakage”.
Romania deployed a 10‑member emergency team to the area on March 14 with specialised equipment and materials after Moldova formally asked the EU for assistance.
The state of alert announced Sunday is “a preventive measure that allows the state to act quickly and in a coordinated manner to protect public health, the environment, and the water supply infrastructure,” the CNMC said.
Both Ukraine and Moldova have stressed that the Dniester is a critical water source, and that petroleum‑based substances threaten aquatic life by blocking oxygen and light.
Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder accused Russia of being “solely responsible for the pollution”.
“What we are seeing today is not a natural accident, but the direct consequence of the war at our border,” he said.
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