Moldova issues oil spill alert after Russia strike on Ukraine

Chisinau: Moldova has triggered an environmental alert following a fuel spill in the Dniester River triggered by a Russian military strike in Ukraine,...

Chisinau: 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.