Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region expects to receive Russian gas again soon to meet its needs, its leader Vadim Krasnoselsky said on Wednesday, two weeks into crippling power cuts in the Russian-backed enclave.

The head of Moldova’s breakaway region Transnistria has urged residents to burn firewood for heating and warned that blackouts cannot be avoided, after Moscow stopped supplying gas via Ukraine.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been left without heating and hot water after Russia halted gas supplies to the region on Jan. 1, over an alleged $709 million debt for past supplies.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russia was ready to provide gas to Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region, but needed logistical support from Moldova to make that happen.

Moldova's pro-European central government renewed its criticism of Russia, saying it caused the energy crisis and now wants to portray itself as the power that was coming to the separatist region's rescue.

The leader of Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniestria has travelled to Moscow since the suspension of Russian gas deliveries via Ukraine, the president of Moldova said on Tuesday. Transdniestria has suffered widespread power cuts since Jan.

By Iulian Ernst in Bucharest The president of the unrecognised separatist Transnistria region in Moldova, Vadim Krasnoselsky, held talks in Moscow on January 14 on overcoming the energy crisis, the head of state's press secretary Denis Podgorny reported.