A series of attacks on Transnistria; Who is the culprit? What is Transnistria?!

On April 26, two explosions targeted a broadcasting center in the village of Mayak. No one was hurt, but the two antennas were disabled. On April 25, the building of the State Security Ministry of Transnistria in the region’s capital, Tiraspol was shelled with rocket-propelled grenades.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Russian sources say it was carried out by Ukraine or Moldova. On the other hand, the Moldovan media have raised the possibility that this is a self-inflicted attack by pro-Russians to ignite a war in eastern Moldova.

Officials in the Transnistrian also denied reports that more Russian troops were stationed in the region, saying: “Investigations show that Ukraine was involved in the recent explosions. We have not asked the Russian army to increase the number of troops stationed in the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, and we do not need to increase the force. Our region poses no threat to Ukraine.”

What is Transnistria?!

The history of Transnistria or the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) dates to 1990, during the dissolution of the Soviet Union, when the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was established in hopes that it would remain within the Soviet Union. ( Later, in 1991, the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic succeeded the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic.) So, the Transnistria declared its separation from Moldova in 1990. Shortly afterwards, a military conflict between the two parties started and until 1992 there were fighting. In July 1992, clashes ended with the signing of a ceasefire agreement. As part of the ceasefire agreement, a three-party – Russia, Moldova, Transnistria – Joint Control Commission supervises the security arrangements in the demilitarised zone, comprising 20 localities on both sides of Dnister river.
Since the end of the active phase of the Transnistrian conflict, Russian peacekeeping forces have been deployed in the area.
Although the ceasefire has held, so far the territory’s political status remains unresolved. Transnistria is an unrecognised but de facto independent presidential republic with its own government, parliament, military, police, postal system, currency, and vehicle registration. Its authorities have adopted a constitution, flag, national anthem, and coat of arms.

Transnistria controls most of the narrow strip of land between the Dniester river and the Moldovan–Ukrainian border, as well as some land on the other side of the river’s bank. Its capital and largest city is Tiraspol. Transnistria has been recognised only by three other unrecognised or partially recognised breakaway states: Abkhazia, Artsakh and South Ossetia.

The importance of the Transnistria in the developments of Eastern Europe can be found in two issues:
1- The Transnistria parliament in 2014 has called for accession to the Russian Federation.
2- The military depots of Transnistria have a significant amount of weapons and armored vehicles that can provoke the Ukrainians to invade this region.

There are currently 2,500 to 3,000 Russian troops in the Transnistria. The total number of Transnistria Military Forces is 15,000, consisting of four brigades based in the cities of Tiraspol, Bender, Dubossary and Rybnitsa.
In addition, there is information that a helicopter as well as two battalions of the Russian Army’s military unit No. 13962 are stationed in the Cobasna region to protect one of Europe’s largest weapons depots.
The depot has 100 tanks, 200 combat vehicles and armored personnel carriers, 35,000 military vehicles, 500 units of military engineering equipment, 200 air defense systems, Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, artillery pieces and mortars.

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