Russia will continue to play a decisive role in ensuring peace and stability on the Dniester, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a press conference, IPN reports.

According to Lavrov, Moldova is to blame for provoking the energy crisis in the Transnistrian region and the current government in Chisinau is allegedly trying to solve the Transnistrian problem by other than peaceful means.

"The destructive policies of the authorities and their refusal to talk to the people have led to extreme polarization of society and further undermined trust in the leadership," the Russian official said.

Lavrov also accused the current government of Russophobia, saying that the Moldovan authorities are cynically trying to blame Russia for the current acute energy crisis, which has hit the Transnistrian region's residents the hardest.

Once again, we would like to warn the 'hotheads' in Chisinau against the fantasy of using the energy crisis in the country to forcibly resolve the Transnistrian problem. Russia will respond appropriately to any provocations and will provide protection to Russian citizens in the Transnistrian region, the peacekeeping contingent, the military personnel of the Russian Forces Operational Group and the military depots in the village of Cobasna. Russia will continue to play a decisive role in ensuring peace and stability on the Dniester," Lavrov added.