Russian news agencies quoted the Foreign Ministry in Moscow on Wednesday as saying: “Protecting the interests of the residents of Transnistria, our compatriots, is one of the priorities.” At a special congress in Tiraspol on Wednesday, Transnistrian authorities made a corresponding statement. , as reported by the media.
Wednesday's resolution was not entirely unexpected: speculation had been swirling for days that Transnistria's pseudo-deputies might even call for annexation to Russia at their meeting.
Transnistria asks Moscow for help
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, concerns about Russian aggression have also increased in the Republic of Moldova. In the east of the country, pro-Russian separatists control the separatist region of Transnistria. On Wednesday, the Transnistrian leadership asked Moscow for “protection” of Moldova.
Separatists complain of “pressure”
According to the resolution, Moscow is asked to “take measures to defend Transnistria in the face of growing pressure from Moldova”. There are “social and economic pressures on Transnistria that directly contradict European principles and approaches to protecting human rights and free trade,” says the statement, initiated by the president of the internationally unrecognized “republic,” Vadim Krasnoselski.
“President” of APA/AFP Vadim Krasnoselski during his speech
Reference to Russian citizens
In their appeal to Moscow, those in power in Transnistria have now also referred to 220,000 Russian citizens living in the breakaway region. This will also worry many people. According to Russian military doctrine, the army is also authorized to move outside its own territory if it is supposed to protect Russian citizens. Russian soldiers have also been stationed there for years, with an estimated military strength of around 1,500 men. At this time, the Kremlin has not recognized Transnistria as its own state.
However, Transnistria's request is reminiscent of one made by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in February 2022. At that time, Moscow seized this as an opportunity for its full-scale attack on Ukraine. The resolution comes just one day before Russian President Vladimir Putin's annual State of the Nation address to the Russian Parliament.
Unrest in Spring 2022
After Moldova's independence in 1990, the region located in eastern Moldova separated from the central government and declared its own state – with a hammer and sickle on the state emblem and a statue of Lenin in front of the “parliament” in Tiraspol.
Following the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, Moldovan politicians have repeatedly expressed great concern. Observers also accused Russia of deliberately destabilizing the situation in the region with provocations: In April 2022, several explosions occurred in the country, for which the leadership blamed Moldova and Ukraine – without evidence.
APA/AFP The special congress in Tiraspol took place for the first time since 2006
For EU membership candidate Moldova, which lies between Ukraine and Romania, this news could fuel fears of Russian aggression on its territory – especially as Russia has already stationed its own soldiers in Transnistria for decades.
Moldova talks about “propaganda”
The Moldovan government rejected the separatists' statements as “propaganda”. The region benefits “from the policy of peace, security and economic integration with the European Union”, which benefits “all citizens”, wrote Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebian on Telegram on Wednesday.
Government spokesman Daniel Voda stressed that the authorities in Chisinau “calmly noted” the “demands and decisions of the so-called special congress” of the separatist region. Both the separatist leaders in Tiraspol and the Kremlin are clearly relying on “alarmism” and “media hysteria”, serving these smokescreens just to give the Tiraspol Congress some headlines, according to the government spokesperson.