MOSCOW, Russia: Pro-Russian rebel officials in Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria appealed to Russia on Wednesday for “protection” as the region threatens to become a new flashpoint in the conflict between Moscow and neighboring Ukraine.
Russia has said its priority is to protect this small piece of land, which has been effectively controlled by pro-Russian forces since the collapse of the Soviet Union but is internationally recognized as part of Moldova.
Moldova’s government rejected “propaganda statements” from pro-Russian separatists, adding that the region “benefits from the policies of peace, security and economic integration with the European Union”.
The United States said it “firmly supports” the Moldovan government’s sovereignty and urged both parties to work together to address common issues.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry warned against “any destructive external interference” in Transnistria, while President Zelensky said he discussed “Russia’s efforts to destabilise the region” with Moldova’s leader Maia Sandu at a regional conference.
Transnistria is a predominantly Russian-speaking region that has long relied on Moscow’s support.
In a rare special session in the region, lawmakers passed a resolution calling on the Russian parliament to “protect” Transnistria from growing pressure from Moldova.
They said the Moldovan government in Chisinau had waged an “economic war” against Transnistria, blocking vital imports with the aim of turning the region into a “ghetto”.
“The decisions of the current congress cannot be ignored by the international community,” the breakaway republic’s foreign policy chief Vitaly Ignatiev told the meeting.
“We are talking about an appeal for diplomatic support,” he later told Russian state television.
The resolution was announced a day before President Vladimir Putin’s annual speech to Russian lawmakers and in a situation where Ukraine has been defeated on the battlefield.
In 2006, parliamentarians from the separatist regions announced a referendum on unification with Russia, which the majority agreed with.
The request for help from Moscow compares to February 2022, when Russian-backed militias in eastern Ukraine sought protection from relentless attacks and shelling by Kiev forces.
“Our country knows… the price of peace better than anyone else,” Ukraine’s foreign ministry said.
After the resolution was passed, Russia’s foreign ministry said it considered “all requests” for help.
“Protecting the interests of the residents of Transnistria, our compatriots, is one of our priorities,” the ministry told Russian media.
According to the text of the meeting in the state media, the participants of the meeting barely mentioned Ukraine. They instead targeted Moldova and blamed it for the region’s economic woes.
Moldova played down the concerns ahead of the meeting.
“From Chisinau, things look calm… There is no danger of escalation and destabilisation of the situation in the Transnistrian region. This is another campaign to create hysteria,” a government spokesman said in a Telegram post.
Moldova accused the Kremlin of fueling tensions in Transnistria.
Since Moscow launched a full-scale offensive against Ukraine, Chisinau has been concerned that the Kremlin could use Transnistria to open a new front toward Odessa in southwestern Ukraine.
The tiny territory was rocked by an unexplained explosion in 2022, which military analysts believe may have been Russia’s attempt to drag the region into conflict.
And in March 2023, the pro-Russian leadership accused Kiev of an assassination attempt against its leader, a charge Ukraine denied.
The Kremlin has about 1,500 permanent troops in the region and has warned Ukraine and Moldova not to attack.
Russia supports Transnistria’s economy with free natural gas, but the breakaway republic has increasingly isolated itself from Moscow since the Ukraine conflict began.
The meeting of Transnistrian officials comes as Ukraine faces intense pressure on the front line, having recently fallen behind Russia amid a munitions shortage.
President Zelenskiy visited Albania on Wednesday for the summit of Southeast European countries and once again appealed for support.
