A Gas Cutoff Has Plunged a Russian Ally into Crisis. And More.

Gas shortages in Transnistria and Finland's landmine debate highlight Europe's shifting geopolitics. Explore the human cost, strategic recalibrations, and evolving alliances shaping 2025's fragile balance of power. Love content? Check out Simon's other YouTube Channels: Megaprojects:https://www.youtube.com/@megaprojects9649 SideProjects: https://www.youtube.com/@Sideprojects Into The Shadows: https://www.youtube.com/@IntotheShadows Today I Found Out: https://www.youtube.com/@TodayIFoundOut Brain Blaze: https://www.youtube.com/@brainblaze6526 Casual Criminalist: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCasualCriminalist Decoding the Unknown: https://www.youtube.com/@decodingtheunknown2373 Places: https://www.youtube.com/@Places302 Celestium: https://www.youtube.com/@Celestium1234 Simon's Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/SimonWhistler Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonwhistler/ References: NYT, A Gas Cutoff Sends Shivers Through a Russian-Backed Breakaway Region: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/world/europe/russia-gas-moldova-transnistria.html Balkan Insight, Moldova’s Breakaway Transnistria Freezes Amid Russian Gas Cut-Off: https://balkaninsight.com/2025/01/03/cold-war-moldovas-breakaway-transnistria-freezes-amid-russian-gas-cut-off/ Economist, The tiny statelet of Transnistria is squeezed on all sides: https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/06/13/the-tiny-statelet-of-transnistria-is-squeezed-on-all-sides Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/02/moldovan-region-transnistria-shuts-down-its-industries-after-loss-of-russian-gas Moscow Times, Breakaway Transnistria Warns of Electricity Collapse: https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/01/06/breakaway-transnistria-warns-of-electricity-collapse-a87517 Politico: https://www.politico.eu/article/moldovan-separatists-refuse-eu-gas-despite-warnings-humanitarian-crisis-transnistria/ BNE Intelligence: https://www.intellinews.com/moldova-s-separatist-transnistria-region-hit-by-blackouts-and-industrial-shutdowns-after-gas-cut-off-359751/ Energy News, Moldova reduces industrial activity by 80% in Transnistria after gas cutoff: https://energynews.pro/en/moldova-reduces-industrial-activity-by-80-in-transnistria-after-gas-cutoff/ CSIS: https://www.csis.org/analysis/how-do-you-solve-problem-transnistria War on the Rocks, The Rise in Gang Violence in Latin America: https://warontherocks.com/2024/01/in-brief-the-rise-in-gang-violence-in-latin-america/ Economist, Gang violence is spreading across Latin America: https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/11/02/gang-violence-is-spreading-across-latin-america NYTimes, state of emergency declared in Trinidad and Tobago: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/30/world/americas/trinidad-and-tobago-emergency-crime.html Insight Crime 1: https://insightcrime.org/news/gamechangers-2024-resistance-organized-crime-withered/ Insight Crime, Uruguay: https://insightcrime.org/news/uruguay-faces-rising-threat-organized-crime/ Conversation: https://theconversation.com/latin-america-several-countries-look-to-combat-gang-violence-by-fighting-fire-with-fire-228941 ACLED, Caribbean countries affected: https://acleddata.com/2024/10/23/gang-violence-in-the-caribbean-reaches-farther-than-haiti/ NYTimes, rising drug crime in France: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/04/world/europe/france-drugs-small-towns.html BBC Mundo, What presence does the Tren de Aragua have in the United States? (Spanish): https://www.bbc.com/mundo/articles/cvg7pxgj0jpo Brussels Times: https://www.brusselstimes.com/785900/breaking-into-europe-through-belgium-colombian-cartels-focus-efforts-on-antwerp The Loop, Latin American gangs in Europe: https://theloop.ecpr.eu/latin-american-organised-crime-is-changing-the-european-landscape/ RUSI report on gang crime in Chile: https://rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/commentary/criminality-taking-over-chile-and-politicians-cant-seem-fix-it Foreign Policy, gang crime in Uruguay: https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/11/18/uruguays-crime-frente-amplio-yamandu-orsi/ FCO, travel advice for Ecuador: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ecuador https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/finland-considering-exiting-anti-personnel-landmine-treaty-minister-says-2024-12-18/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-13/finland-to-study-bringing-back-land-mines-to-improve-defenses https://www.barrons.com/news/finland-mulls-reintroduction-of-banned-anti-personnel-mines-1074600c https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/25828-finland-urged-to-opt-out-of-anti-personnel-landmine-ban-in-citizens-initiative.html https://yle.fi/a/74-20126703 https://www.businessinsider.com/finland-develops-horrific-jumping-land-mine-to-deter-russia-invasions-2018-3 https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/debate-over-ottawa-treaty-resurfaces-finland-amid-russian-aggression

Fronts Staff • January 10, 2025