Moldova is facing “a very dangerous new moment”, the country’s deputy prime minister has said, as he warned that unnamed forces were seeking to stoke tensions after a series of explosions in the breakaway region of Transnistria this week.
In a briefing with journalists, Nicu Popescu said his government had seen “a dangerous deterioration of the situation” in recent days, after grenade attacks on the “ministry of security” in the breakaway region of Transnistria on Monday. The attacks with rocket-propelled grenades represented “a very dangerous new moment in the history of our region,”, he said, adding that Moldova’s institutions had been put on high alert in response.
Fears are growing that Moldova and Transnistria could be drawn into the Ukraine conflict. The predominantly Russian-speaking region of Transnistria in eastern Moldova has been controlled by pro-Russia separatists since 1992 after a short war when Moscow intervened on the side of the rebels.
Last week a senior Russian commander said gaining control over southern Ukraine would help Russia link up with Transnistria, which shares a 453km border with Ukraine. Then on Monday came a series of mysterious explosions targeting Transnistria’s “state security ministry”, a radio tower and military unit. » | Jennifer Rankin in Brussels | Thursday, April 28, 2022
