In a statement made by the Russian Ministry of Defense, it was claimed that Kiev has accelerated its preparations for the invasion of Transnistria.
In the statement, which is defended that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will “provocate” to Transnistria with the allegation of the “attack of the Russian army in the Transnistria region,” the Russian Ministry of Defense is currently recording a significant accumulation of Ukrainian military units and military technical vehicles near the Ukraine-Transnistria border, and the deployment of artillery to firing positions. In addition, there is an unprecedented increase in the flights of unmanned aerial vehicles of the Ukrainian army over the Transnistria region.
“The Russian army will respond to provocation”
Noting that the implementation of the aforementioned “planned provocation” by Ukraine would pose a direct threat to the “Russian peacekeeping force legally stationed in Transnistria”, the statement said, “The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will respond appropriately to the upcoming provocation of the Ukrainian side.”
Moldova’s Transnistria issue
After Moldova declared its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Transnistria, located on the east bank of the Dniester River, declared its independence unilaterally with the support of Russia.
The armed conflicts that started between Moldova and Transnistria after the declaration of independence ended with a ceasefire on 22 July 1992.
In 1993, solution talks started between Moldova and Transnistria within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). In the negotiations held in the 5+2 format within the OSCE, representatives of Transnistria, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, the USA, and the OSCE and the European Union (EU) take place.
Transnistria, which declared its independence unilaterally within Moldova and is not recognized by any United Nations (UN) member country, has its own political structure, parliament, army, police and postal system.
It is stated that Russia, which has deployed its military units, which it calls “peacekeepers”, to Transnistria, transfers millions of dollars every year to support the region.
Russia’s largest arsenal from the Second World War during the Soviet Union is located in the village of Kobasna in Transnistria.