Moldova says Ukraine mined Transnistria border section

Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration, Valeriu Kiveri, said Ukraine has likely mined the section of its border with the Transnistrian region in order to enable the redeployment of troops to more active areas of the war.

Speaking as cited by TASS, Kiveri said the measure would allow Ukrainian forces to transfer part of the military contingent stationed along that border segment to more active directions of the conflict.

“Ukraine likely resorted to mining the border with the Transnistrian region in order to be able to redeploy part of the troops stationed in that sector to more active directions of the war,” he said.

Kiveri added that the Operational Group of Russian Forces in Transnistria represents a certain security risk for both Moldova and Ukraine, but emphasised that its military potential is limited and does not require urgent additional security measures.

Earlier, Ukraine's Ambassador to Moldova, Paun Rohovei, said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine had mined this section of the border and installed technical surveillance systems there.

According to Rohovei, these steps were taken because Moldovan authorities do not control the territory of Transnistria, where Russian forces are stationed and guard ammunition depots in the village of Kolbasna, which date back to the Soviet period.

By Tamilla Hasanova