Moldova to send Russia bill for repair of damaged power line

Moldovan authorities have received a bill of around 500,000 leu (approximately €20,000) for the repair of the Isaccea–Vulcănești power transmission line and intend to forward it to Russia, Energy Minister Dorin Junghietu said.

The minister emphasised that the costs relate to the restoration of a section of the power line damaged during a drone attack on March 23, Caliber.Az reports per Moldovan media.

“We received a bill from our colleagues at Ukrenergo. The costs amount to about €20,000, which is approximately 500,000 leu,” Junghietu said.

He added that the authorities will send the invoice to the Russian Federation via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as Chisinau believes Russian strikes caused the damage to the infrastructure.

The state company Moldelectrica will temporarily cover the repair costs, after which the authorities will consider a compensation mechanism.

On the night of March 23, 2026, Russian forces carried out a large-scale drone attack on Ukraine’s southern Odesa region, targeting critical energy infrastructure. Ukrainian air defence intercepted most of the drones, but falling debris and strikes still caused damage to power facilities in the area.

The Isaccea–Vulcănești high-voltage transmission line, which connects Romania and Moldova through Ukrainian territory, was automatically disconnected after the attack affected nearby infrastructure, as a precaution to prevent wider grid instability.

Moldovan officials later stated that the line was impacted during these strikes and required technical inspections and repairs, with coordination between Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine’s grid operators.

By Jeyhun Aghazada