A view of the City Council of Tiraspol, capital of Transnistria, Moldova, 25 November 2021. (Alexander Hassenstein/UEFA/Getty Images)
The self-proclaimed Republic of Transnistria — which has its own constitution, military, 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 the military is seeking “full control” of the eastern Donbass region and southern Ukraine — and access to Transnistria, the breakaway territory in neighboring Moldova.
TASS quoted acting commander of Russia’s Central Military District, Major General Rustam Minnekayev, as saying the goal is to create a land corridor between Donbass and Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.
Explosions erupted in Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria, on Monday, which Ukraine’s defense ministry described as a “planned provocation” by Russian intelligence services.
Here’s what you need to know about Transnistria and why it matters to Russia.
A separatist small state: Transnistria is a narrow strip of land about 1,350 square miles sandwiched between Ukraine and the rest of Moldova – only slightly larger than Rhode Island, the smallest US state.
It is home to around half a million people, most of whom are Russian speakers.
Some stories: Transnistria declared its independence from the former Soviet Republic of Moldova after a two-year war (1990-1992) that broke out during the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The Russians intervened to support Transnistria but never recognized it as an independent state. The conflict between the Moldovan government and the separatists ended in a truce in 1992 – but since then about 1,500 Russian soldiers have remained in Transnistria.
Russia has Transnistria in its sights: Major General Minnekayev’s statement outlining Russia’s strategy for the “second phase” of the war prompted immediate alarm from the Moldovan authorities, who summoned the Russian ambassador.
The comments on Transnistria were “unfounded and contradict the position of the Russian Federation, which supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova within its internationally recognized borders,” Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration said.
It added that during the 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 War: Some military analysts suggest that Russia plans to lean on Transnistria for logistical support – and to exploit its strategic position to build a land corridor along the Black Sea to capture the port city of Odessa.
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