Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region seeks Russian protection with claims of economic blockade

At a congress on 28 February, the so-called deputies of unrecognized quasi-state of Transnistria in eastern Moldova asked Russia to "protect" the region due to alleged economic pressure from Moldova, which has ended its special trade agreement with the breakaway region, Newsmaker reported. Transnistria or Pridnestrovie, officially known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, is an internationally unrecognized state, recognized as part of Moldova. Transnistria borders Vinnytsia and Odesa Oblast of Ukraine. The appeal of the so-called deputies of Transnistria was addressed to the Federation Council and the State Duma of Russia. In their statement, the Transnistrian deputies claimed that Moldova has launched an "economic war" against Transnistria, meaning the abolition of customs benefits. The Transnistrian deputies also appealed to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), European Parliament, International Committee of the Red Cross and UN Secretary General to "influence the Moldovan authorities" and "stop the economic blockade." Before the congress of the so-called deputies of the separatist Transnistrian region of Moldova, there were fears that the self-proclaimed authorities of Transnistria might call on Russia to annex the unrecognized region, but official statements in Moldova, Ukraine, and Transnistira denied such assumptions.

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Transnistria is not recognized as an independent state by any United Nations member state. About 1,500 Russian troops (which the Russian government refers to as peacekeepers) are stationed in the region, which is home to ethnic Russians, Ukrainians, and Moldovans. Over the past two years, Moldova, an EU candidate and former Soviet republic wedged between Ukraine and Romania, has accused Russia-backed entities of subversive attempts against its pro-Western government, manipulations in its electoral process, and exploiting its Russian-controlled region of Transnistria to compromise national security, while also contending with energy pressures from Moscow and the transit of Russian missiles through its airspace during Russian air assaults on Ukraine, ultimately declaring Russia a formal “security threat” for the first time in its history. Related:

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