On 12 January 2026, Euromaidan Press published a frontline report titled "Ukraine and Moldova trap Russia's hidden army with New Year's midnight move," based on a video from the channel Reporting from Ukraine.
We have removed this article. The events it described did not happen.
What the article claimed: That Ukraine and Moldova enacted a "full blockade" against Transnistria starting at midnight on 1 January 2026, closing "every supply line" into the region.
What actually happened: Nothing. Ukraine's border with Transnistria has been closed since February 2022. Russian troop rotation was halted in 2014. The gas transit ended on 1 January 2025 — a year before the date in our article.
As Zona de Securitate journalist Irina Tabaranu noted: "On 1 January 2026 — as stated in the article — there was nothing left to close; the border was already closed."
Moldova Matters has documented that sensationalized reports about Transnistria have previously been planted to "inspire panic in newsrooms that are not well informed about Moldovan affairs."
Moldova Matters has also observed that a blockade this significant would not go unreported in Moldova for 12 days: "Like, at least one of the 20,000 Transnistrians who come to work in Moldova every day would have mentioned something?"
We failed to verify basic facts before publication. We regret amplifying a false story. This incident has prompted a review of our editorial processes for video-based frontline reports.
Editor's note: a previous version of this retraction said Russian gas transit to Transnistria through Ukraine ended on 1 January 2026. In fact, it ended one year prior, on 1 January 2025. We also claimed that a new cooperation agreement between border guards had been signed. That is also false.
We messed up twice—when publishing the false story, and then in the retraction. We apologize and promise to improve.
Euromaidan Press is committed to accurate reporting. When we fall short, we correct the record.
