View of Tiraspol City Council, the capital of Transnistria, Moldova, on November 25, 2021 (Alexander Hassenstein / UEFA / Getty Images)
The self-proclaimed Transnistrian republic – which has its own constitution, army, currency and flag, but has never been recognized by the international community – could be drawn into Russia’s war in Ukraine.
A senior Russian general said last week that the military was seeking “full control” of eastern Donbass and southern Ukraine – and access to Transnistria, a breakaway territory in neighboring Moldova.
TASS quoted Major General Rustam Minekayev, acting commander of Russia’s Central Military District, as saying the goal was to create a land corridor between Donbass and Crimea that Russia annexed in 2014.
There were explosions in Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria, on Monday, which the Ukrainian Defense Ministry called a “planned provocation” by Russia’s secret services.
Here’s what you need to know about Transnistria and why it’s important for Russia.
Separatist state: Transnistria is a narrow stretch of land measuring about 1,350 square miles, sandwiched between Ukraine and the rest of Moldova – just slightly larger than Rhode Island, the smallest state in the United States.
It is home to about half a million people, most of whom are Russian-speaking.
A bit of history: Transnistria declared independence from the former Soviet republic of Moldova after a two-year war (1990-1992) that erupted during the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Russians intervened in support of Transnistria, but never recognized it as an independent state. The conflict between the Moldovan government and the separatists ended in a ceasefire in 1992, but about 1,500 Russian troops have remained in Transnistria since.
Russia looks to Transnistria: A statement by Major General Minekayev outlining Russia’s strategy for the “second phase” of the war has sparked immediate alarm from Moldovan authorities, who have summoned the Russian ambassador.
The statements about Transnistria are “unfounded and contradict the position of the Russian Federation in support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders,” the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration said.
It added that during a meeting with the Russian ambassador, Moldovan officials reiterated that the country is “a neutral state and this principle must be respected by all international actors, including the Russian Federation.”
Role in the war: Some military analysts suspect that Russia plans to rely on Transnistria for logistical support – and take advantage of its strategic position to create a land corridor along the Black Sea to take over the port city of Odessa.
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