Moldova region wants Russian protection

MOSCOW: Pro-Russian rebel officials in Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria have appealed to Russia for “protection”, amid fears the territory could become a new flashpoint in Moscow’s conflict with neighbouring Ukraine.

Russia said it was a priority to protect the sliver of land, which has been de facto controlled by pro-Russian forces since the collapse of the Soviet Union but is internationally recognised 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 US said it “firmly supports” the Moldovan government’s sovereignty and urged both parties to work together to address common concerns.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry warned against “any destructive external interference” in Transnistria, while President Volodymyr Zelensky said he discussed “Russia’s efforts to destabilise the region” with Moldova’s leader Maia Sandu at a regional conference.

Transnistria is a primarily Russian-speaking region that has long depended on Moscow for support.

At a rare special congress in the region, politicians passed a resolution asking Russia’s parliament to “protect” Transnistria from Moldovan pressure.

They said the Moldovan government in Chisinau had unleashed an “economic war” against Transnistria, blocking vital imports.

“The decisions of the current congress cannot be ignored by the international community,” the breakaway republic’s foreign policy chief said.