A major oil spill linked to a suspected Russian strike in Ukraine has contaminated the Dniester River, forcing authorities in Moldova to cut water supplies to the northern city of Balti and declare a state of alert.
Ukrainian officials said the leak began after a Russian attack on the Dniester hydroelectric plant on March 7, with oil slicks appearing in the river days later. The Dniester is a critical water source for much of Moldova as well as Ukraine’s southwestern regions, including Odesa.
In response, Moldova imposed a 15-day state of alert across the river basin, as contamination levels exceeded safe limits. Environment Minister Gheorghe Hajder said water supplies would only resume once oil concentrations fall below the recommended threshold of 0.1mg per litre.
Testing on Monday night showed pollution levels remained too high for northern المناطق, including Balti, Moldova’s third-largest city. At least three other towns have also been affected, leaving thousands reliant on emergency water deliveries.
Schools in the Balti area have shifted to online learning as authorities prioritize distributing clean drinking water by tanker while monitoring conditions in the river.
The contamination has also spread into Ukraine, impacting water supplies in regions such as Chernivtsi, Vinnytsya, and Odesa, according to Ukrainian Deputy Minister Iryna Ovcharenko.
Moldova’s Foreign Ministry summoned Russia’s ambassador, Oleg Ozerov, to protest the incident, presenting him with a bottle of visibly polluted river water. The envoy declined to comment following the meeting.
President Maia Sandu has placed full responsibility on Russia, reinforcing her government’s strong support for Ukraine amid ongoing regional tensions. Moscow has repeatedly rejected such accusations and has previously criticised Sandu’s pro-European stance.
Officials say Ukrainian authorities have since contained the source of the spill, but cleanup efforts are ongoing as both countries assess the environmental and public health impact.
The crisis also highlights broader regional instability, with Moldova remaining geopolitically sensitive due to the presence of Russian forces in the breakaway region of Transnistria along its eastern border.
Separately, Moldovan police reported that an armed Russian drone carrying an explosive device landed near the Ukraine-Moldova border village of Tudora, further escalating tensions in the area.
The incident underscores growing environmental risks tied to the ongoing conflict, as infrastructure attacks increasingly threaten vital resources such as water supplies across Eastern Europe.