April 29, 2022
A series of mysterious explosions have taken place across Transnistria, a pro-Kremlin breakaway territory of Moldova that hosts Russian troops, sparking fears that the Russian invasion of Ukraine may spill over to other countries in the region.
Moldova is facing "a very dangerous new moment," Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu said Thursday, warning of unnamed forces attempting to stir tension in Transnistria, a narrow strip of land that shares a border with Ukraine.
Transnistria proclaimed independence from Moldova in 1990 and de-facto runs itself independently of Chisinau, the Moldovan capital, but is not internationally recognized.
The attacks come days after the Russian military commander signaled that Moscow could be seeking a path to Moldova in its "second stage" of the military operation.
"Control over the south of Ukraine is another way out to Transnistria, where there are also facts of oppression of the Russian-speaking population," the acting commander of Russia's Central Military District Rustam Minnekaev said, in what is the most direct threat to Moldova voiced by Russian officials to date.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used the alleged discrimination against Russian speakers in Ukraine as justification to launch a brutal attack on Ukrainian cities in late February.
This week Transnistrian authorities said explosions targeted a state security ministry headquarters in Tiraspol, the breakaway territory's main city; a military unit in Parcani village; and two radio towers that rebroadcasted Russian news, according to Transnistrian authorities.
On Wednesday, local media outlets reported a shooting incident had occurred near Russian arms and ammunition depots on the outskirts of the Cobasna village.
No one immediately took responsibility for the attack, and there were no reported casualties. But Transnistrian officials pointed fingers at Ukraine.
Sources
Yahoo News
MSN
CBS News
A series of mysterious explosions have taken place across Transnistria, a pro-Kremlin breakaway territory of Moldova that hosts Russian troops, sparking fears that the Russian invasion of Ukraine may spill over to other countries in the region.
Moldova is facing "a very dangerous new moment," Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Nicu Popescu said Thursday, warning of unnamed forces attempting to stir tension in Transnistria, a narrow strip of land that shares a border with Ukraine.
Transnistria proclaimed independence from Moldova in 1990 and de-facto runs itself independently of Chisinau, the Moldovan capital, but is not internationally recognized.
The attacks come days after the Russian military commander signaled that Moscow could be seeking a path to Moldova in its "second stage" of the military operation.
"Control over the south of Ukraine is another way out to Transnistria, where there are also facts of oppression of the Russian-speaking population," the acting commander of Russia's Central Military District Rustam Minnekaev said, in what is the most direct threat to Moldova voiced by Russian officials to date.
Russian President Vladimir Putin used the alleged discrimination against Russian speakers in Ukraine as justification to launch a brutal attack on Ukrainian cities in late February.
This week Transnistrian authorities said explosions targeted a state security ministry headquarters in Tiraspol, the breakaway territory's main city; a military unit in Parcani village; and two radio towers that rebroadcasted Russian news, according to Transnistrian authorities.
On Wednesday, local media outlets reported a shooting incident had occurred near Russian arms and ammunition depots on the outskirts of the Cobasna village.
No one immediately took responsibility for the attack, and there were no reported casualties. But Transnistrian officials pointed fingers at Ukraine.
Sources
Yahoo News
MSN
CBS News
