Russian intelligence: Moldovan president planning military operation in Transnistria

Foreign Intelligence Service of Russia has issued a report suggesting that Moldovan President Maia Sandu is preparing a military operation in Transnistria.

According to the Service's statement, there are concerns that Sandu may attempt to instigate a conflict in the region, Caliber.Az reports citing Russian media.

"The Moldovan leader recently convened a meeting with the country's government officials to discuss energy security. At the conclusion of the meeting, Sandu reportedly stated the necessity of formulating a military plan aimed at establishing control over Transnistria and removing the Russian peacekeeping forces deployed there," the statement notes.

The Foreign Intelligence Service further emphasized that there can be no certainty that Sandu will not seek to ignite a full-scale war in the region.

Transnistria, also known as the Eastern Districts of the Republic of Moldova or the Left Bank of the Dniester, did not have a distinct status within the Soviet Union, and its identity has evolved over centuries.

In 1940, Soviet authorities established the Moldavian SSR and included a stretch of land on the left bank of the Dniester River, predominantly Romanian-speaking, within its borders.

From that point, five districts on the left bank of the Dniester were part of the republic without any special or autonomous status.

Even today, despite Moldova’s lack of control over this region for over 30 years, strong social ties persist between the two sides of the Dniester. People across both banks do not view each other as adversaries and continue to maintain family and social connections.

Of the approximately 350,000 residents of Transnistria, over 90 per cent hold Moldovan citizenship.

By Vafa Guliyeva