On January 13, some media spread alleged statement by the governor of Odessa region of Ukraine that Pridnestrovie had “siphoned natural gas”, and Pridnestrovien people had “tried to gain access to the gas measuring unit Grebeniki and open the valve”.
On January 6, 2009, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Pridnestrovien Moldavian Republic sent appeals to the Russian and Ukrainian sides, as well as to the Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova and the EU Special Representative, informing the foreign diplomats on the situation concerning cessation of natural gas supplies to Pridnestrovie, which resulted in the stoppage of hot-water supply and gradual reducing of temperatures in the heating systems.