Ukrainian diplomacy warned today of the risk of “catastrophic external intervention” in Transnistria, the pro-Russian separatist region of Ukraine’s neighbor Moldova, after Tiraspol’s request for “protection” from Moscow.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry appealed in a statement for “the peaceful resolution of economic, social and humanitarian issues (between the authorities of Moldova) and (of Transnistria), without any destructive external interference,” referring to Russia.
“We are doing and will continue to do everything in our power to prevent any attempt by Russia to destabilize Moldova or other countries in our region,” added the ministry, which said it was “closely monitoring the latest developments.”
Ukrainian diplomacy also called for “the speedy withdrawal of Russian troops” from Transnistria.
Russia maintains 1,500 troops there to ensure a peacekeeping mission, according to official figures.
The internationally unrecognized separatist region’s authorities today asked Russia for “protective measures” in the face of “increased pressure” they are reportedly under from Chisinau, amid escalating tensions over the conflict in neighboring Ukraine.
Russian diplomacy responded quickly, assuring that its “priority” is the “protection” of the residents of Transnistria and added that Moscow would “carefully consider” Tiraspol’s request, without giving further details.
A narrow strip of land between Moldova and Ukraine, the region seceded after a brief war in 1992 against the Moldovan army.
Moldova: Russian Propaganda
Moldova’s government today denounced statements by authorities in the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria, who called on Russia to take “protective measures” against “pressures” they say they are receiving from Chisinau.
The government “rejects the propaganda of Tiraspol”, the city where Transnistrian parliamentarians held an emergency meeting, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian said on Telegram. He also noted that this region benefits from “policies of peace, security and economic integration” in the framework of its ties with the European Union.
“Protecting the interests of the residents of Transnistria, our compatriots, is one of the priorities. All requests are always carefully considered by the relevant Russian organizations,” according to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement carried by local agencies.
The development of events is strongly reminiscent, at this stage, of a similar call, in February 2022, by the pro-Russian separatists of eastern Ukraine. At the time, that appeal served as one of the pretexts used by Russian President Vladimir Putin to launch an attack on his neighboring country.
Transnistrian MPs met in Tiraspol today in an emergency conference, the first since 2006, and asked the Russian Parliament to “implement measures to protect” this strip of land, home to “more than 220,000 Russian citizens” as they found that there is “increasing pressure from Moldova”. The reason was Moldova’s demand from companies based in Transnistria to pay import duties from January. The region’s unidentified finance minister told the conference that this cut customs revenue for Transnistria’s budget by 18 percent.
Transnistria faces “unprecedented threats of an economic, socio-humanitarian and military-political nature”, the MPs state in their declaration.
The foreign minister of the internationally unrecognized separatist authorities, Vitaly Ignatiev, clarified, speaking to the Russian channel Rossiya-24, that “first of all they ask for the diplomatic support” of Moscow.
Moldovan President Maya Sandu, who is in Tirana for a summit of Balkan countries also attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said her country remains committed to finding a peaceful solution to the Transnistria issue. “What the government is doing today is taking small steps towards the economic reintegration of the country,” he said.
The first European country to officially react, Poland, through the mouth of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, considered the tensions in this region “dangerous”.
Since 2006
The local population in 2006 had voted 97.1% in favor of integration with Russia. Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine two years ago, fears of an expansion of the conflict in Transnistria have been raised several times.
Last year, Transnistrian authorities accused Kiev of wanting to attack the region, claiming they had foiled an attack in March targeting the separatist region’s leaders.
The Russian Defense Ministry again asserted last week, without providing evidence, that Ukraine was preparing an “armed provocation” against Transnistria.
Officially home to 465,000 mostly Russian-speaking residents, this small region straddling the Dniester is not recognized as a state by the international community, including Moscow.
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