Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on 15 May that fast-tracks Russian citizenship for residents of Transnistria. Moldova's President Maia Sandu reads it as a manpower move for the war against Ukraine, Politico reported.
"Probably they need more people to send to the war in Ukraine," said Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
Transnistria is a narrow strip of land in eastern Moldova, bordering Ukraine. It declared independence in 1990 during the collapse of the Soviet Union, but it is not recognized by any UN member state and is considered internationally to be part of Moldova.
Passport with obligations attached
The decree applies to legally competent adults permanently residing in Transnistria, and explicitly extends to minors, orphans, and legally incapacitated people under institutional care. Applications can be submitted through Russian diplomatic and consular missions without the applicant ever entering Russia, according to NewsMaker.
Moldova's government urged Transnistrians to weigh the costs of obtaining a passport.
"The Russian passport is becoming the passport of an aggressor country that is not accepted at the table of the civilized world," Moldovan Prime Minister Alexandru Munteanu said.
Russian citizenship today, he warned, is not about privileges or freedom of movement, but primarily about strict obligations, including military service and taxes.
Moldova's EU path, and Ukraine's response
Asked whether Putin could use the Transnistria dispute to block Moldova's EU accession, Sandu was direct.
"Only the EU can decide whether Moldova can become part of the EU or not. Russia has nothing to do with it," Sandu said.
Moldova secured EU candidate status in 2022, opened accession negotiations in 2024, and aims to conclude a binding membership treaty by 2028.
Ukraine had already strengthened its defenses along the southwestern border with Transnistria, where a Russian troop contingent has been stationed since the 1990s.
