ISTANBUL

Moldova on Tuesday summoned Moscow’s ambassador to Chisinau amid reports of an oil spill in the Dniester River, which the country said was caused by a Russian strike on a hydroelectric plant in southern Ukraine.

The Moldovan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Telegram that it summoned Ambassador-at-Large Oleg Ozerov and conveyed a protest note regarding the attack, which it said took place on March 7.

“The Republic of Moldova strongly condemns this attack, which caused oil spills into the Dniester River, generating major risks for the environment and the security of the Republic of Moldova's water supply,” the statement said.

It stated that the Dniester River provides water for approximately 80% of the country's population and for 98% of the Chisinau municipality.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes that such actions with a major cross-border impact endanger the environment, the security of the water supply and the health of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova and cannot be accepted,” it added.

The statement comes as Moldovan President Maia Sandu said on Sunday that her country declared an environmental alert following an oil spill in the Dniester River caused by an attack on the Novodnistrovsk Hydroelectric Power Station in Ukraine’s western ​​Chernivtsi region.

“Russia bears full responsibility,” Sandu said on the US social media company X, without further elaboration.

Authorities first announced the detection of oil slicks in the Dniester River last Tuesday, and multiple measures, including the installation of filters and dams, have been taken since then to prevent further pollution.

Also on Tuesday, Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu said on the US social media company Facebook that a 15-day environmental alert was approved during a government meeting.

Russian authorities have not yet commented on the incident.