Moldova is finalising an assessment of damages caused by attacks on its energy infrastructure and the pollution of the Dniester River, with plans to submit a formal compensation claim to the Russian Federation, Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi said.

Moldova's power interconnector with Romania was damaged on a segment that crosses the territory of Ukraine, and the authorities in Chisinau are supposed to reimburse those in Kyiv for the quick repairs. The source of the Dniester River pollution, which affects large parts of Moldova's population without running water, seems to be a Russian drone attack against a hydropower plant on the territory of Ukraine.

According to Moldpres, the authorities are currently completing the documentation process, after which the case file will be transmitted to Moscow.

“We must complete the assessment of the damage caused by the attacks on our energy infrastructure, but also on the Dniester River. It is our responsibility to prepare this file and transmit it to the Russian side, in the hope that there will be a favourable international context in which these compensations can be paid,” Popșoi said during a TV appearance on Vocea Basarabiei.

The minister acknowledged that Moldova has limited leverage over Russia but stressed that pursuing compensation remains necessary on legal and moral grounds.

“Our ability to influence a state like the Russian Federation is limited; we must be honest. But it is our responsibility, as a state and as citizens, to take all legal steps to defend our rights and interests, in accordance with international law,” he said.

Popșoi placed the initiative within the broader context of strained relations with Moscow, citing repeated violations of international norms.

“We see flagrant violations of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Principles, including in the context of the war in Ukraine, but also in the relationship with the Republic of Moldova — from the illegal presence of troops and ammunition to the embargoes imposed over time,” he added.

Preliminary estimates of damages in the energy sector amount to several million Moldovan lei (less than €1mn), though the figures are still being verified. Assessments of environmental damage to the Dniester River are ongoing.

“The impact does not disappear immediately and will not disappear tomorrow. Even if, in some cases, the effects are reduced, the consequences will remain for years. The ecosystem has been seriously affected, both fauna and flora, including what has accumulated in the riverbed and what has been transported downstream,” Popșoi said.

Authorities in Chișinău plan to finalise and submit the claim regardless of uncertainties surrounding enforcement, with any potential compensation dependent on future international developments.