Tiraspol - Moldova - Mafia in Uniform

Air space control and NATO


Transdniestria to tighten control of air space as Moldova steps up cooperation with NATO

March 05


"Moldova's stepping up cooperation with NATO bodies leads to erosion of the republics' constitutional neutrality and puts Transdniestria's security under threat," the parliament said.

It called for "consolidating state bodies' efforts towards working out the measures to secure control of air space in accordance with principles of international law and provisions of the law on the state border of Transdniestria."

From the point of view of international law, Moldova controls the air space of the breakaway Transdniestria.

At present, Transdniestria's air space is monthly traversed by 1,250 aircraft on seven international routes.

2nd front in Transdniestria?


Russia may open 'second front' in Transnistria, Moldovan expert says

2014-03-11


If Moscow continues its aggression in Crimea, Transnistria could become the second phase of the Russian military action.

According to the expert, Russia continues to modernize the military airdrome in Tiraspol, and earlier there had been attempts to bring modern combat helicopters in Transnistria.

According to Cibotaru, another indication of the intensification of Russia's military presence in Transnistria is also the fact the Russian troops in Transnistria are equipped with new types of firearms.

Al Jazeera.


Transnistria: Europe's other Crimea

13 Mar 2014


The Transnistrian authorities do not welcome journalists so would-be reporters need to duck into the courtyards between the crumbling Soviet-era housing blocks to avoid the attention of the omnipresent KGB, an intelligence service which never bothered to change its name following the collapse of the USSR.

Following the breakup of the USSR, Transnistria, spooked by growing nationalism by the Romanian speaking majority, declared independence sparking a bloody civil war as Chisinau tried to retain control against the territory. During the conflict, Transnistria was heavily supported by Russia and to this day, an estimated 1,500 soldiers remain in place, allegedly as peacekeepers and to safeguard Soviet weapons stockpiles.

With the imminent prospect of Crimea voting to join the Russian Federation in a controversial upcoming referendum, there are heightened concerns that Transnistria may be used by Russia in a similar way to crystallise their influence in Europe.

"According to our data, we suspect that on the territory of the Transnistrian region, Russian military troops have been recruiting activists to be sent to Odessa to participate in riots and destabilise the region," Pyrozhkov told Al Jazeera. "This sets a worrying precedent."

Russian males are not allowed to cross the border between Transnistria and Ukraine in any direction, and trains with supplies for Russian troops in Transnistria are stopped by Ukrainian border guards.


Ukraine blocks access to/exit from Transdniestria for Russian citizens

15 March 2014


“Males with Russian passports are not allowed to cross the border in either direction,” a Russian peacekeeping contingent officer, who is returning to this base from a holiday, said by telephone on Saturday, March 15.



The contingent’s command confirmed this information and added that Ukrainian border guards also stopped trains with supplies for the Russian peacekeepers in Transdniestria. Two such trains with food, clothes and fuel intended for the Russian troops have been staying on the sidetracks since March 10.

If logistical supplies for the Russian contingent are terminated, this may have unpredictable consequences and may call into doubt Ukraine’s role as a party to the peacekeeping mission,” the official said.

Transdniestria is a quiet #hole, absolutely nothing happens there. It is no more dangerous than, say, a provincial rural town in Central Europe, but with even less events happening. It's basically 30% Russian, 30% Ukrainian, and 30% Moldovan, a small percent of turks have migrated there from neighboring Gagauzia, these are Christian. Hot period of conflict in Moldova has ended long time ago. People in Moldova as well as their government already accepted the decision of the left bank to be independent, so in many ways it's just a formality. I predict within the next year this region will either join Romania together with Moldova or be integrated in the neighboring Odessa region. You can watch videos on youtube, and see what it is like there yourself.

Is Russia going to send more troops to Transnistria soon?


Moldova warns against Russia grab for Trans Dnestr

March 18, 2014


Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti warned on Tuesday that any move by the Russian-backed breakaway republic of Trans Dnestr to follow Crimea’s lead and join Russia would be “erroneous” and “counter-productive”.

Russia’s Vedomosti newspaper reported on Tuesday that the speaker of Trans Dnestr’s parliament had written to his Russian counterpart asking about the possibility of the 500,000-strong territory joining the Russian Federation.

Dmitry Rogozin, the Russian deputy prime minister who was hit by US sanctions this week for his alleged role in the annexation of Crimea, has called a special government meeting on Thursday to discuss the so-called “blockade” of Trans Dnestr by Ukraine.

EU diplomats in Brussels are increasingly worried that Mr Putin will open a second front by sending troops to Trans Dnestr. Because of this, some countries are pushing to accelerate a trade and association agreement, as well as visa liberalisation, with Moldova.

NATO’s top military commander warns of Russian threat to Moldova.


Nato warns of Russian threat to Moldova

24 MARCH


NATO’s top military commander said on Sunday that Russia had a large force on Ukraine's eastern border and he was worried it could pose a threat to Moldova's separatist Transdniestria region.

"The (Russian) force that is at the Ukrainian border now to the east is very, very sizeable and very, very ready," NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US Air Force General Philip Breedlove, told an event held by the German Marshall Fund think-tank.

Breedlove said NATO was very concerned about the threat to Transdniestria, which declared independence from Moldova in 1990 but has not been recognised by any United Nations member state.

"There is absolutely sufficient (Russian) force postured on the eastern border of Ukraine to run to Transdniestria if the decision was made to do that, and that is very worrisome," Breedlove said.

The president of ex-Soviet Moldova warned Russia last Tuesday against considering any move to annex Transdniestria, which lies on Ukraine's western border, in the same way that it has taken control of Crimea.

The speaker of Transdniestria's parliament had urged Russia earlier to incorporate the region.

Again. Different source.


Russian troops poised to 'run' into Moldova, Nato commander warns

23 Mar 2014


Fears that Russia could claw back a second chunk of former Soviet territory in Europe grew on Sunday night after Nato warned that Moscow’s troops were poised to move into a pro-Russian enclave of Moldova.

Nato’s top commander said that Russian troops massed on Ukraine’s eastern border were well placed to take Transdniester, a Russian-speaking enclave that has declared independence from the rest of Moldova.

An incursion into Transdniester would bring a Russian territorial dispute close to the doorstep of the European Union.

Transnistria asks Putin to recognize their independence...


Transdniestrian authorities ask Putin to initiate recognition of republic’s independence

TIRASPOL April 16


Transdniestrian authorities ask Russia to recognize the breakaway republic as a sovereign independent state.

Transdniestria's President Shevchuk appeared on Euronews, calling for 'civilized divorce' between Moldova and Transdniestria:

www.euronews.com...

Hellmutt, where are you? What do you think about it?

a reply to: Alekstir

Hi Alekstir, thanks for the update! I'm a Norwegian in Denmark. I'm not sure what to think about it. I hope for peace and stability, and that the weapons in Transdniestria will not pose any risk for Europe in any way. Whether Transdniestria is part of Moldova or not, is no matter for me. Transdniestr being a "lawless" area is not an acceptable situation. We need to settle whether Transdniestr should remain part of Moldova (with Moldovan rule), become a part of Russia (with Russian rule) or become an independent state. Status quo is not good, and pose so many problems.

a reply to: Hellmutt

But if weapons in Trandniestria really pose threat, than why the EU, which participates in negotiations in 5+2 format, does nothing in order to propose some peace plan in order to end this status quo? It seems that nobody really cares about Trasdniestria and its old arms stockpiles cause everybody understands that any risks are close to zero even now, with civil war raging in neighboring Ukraine. I'm afraid status quo may last for decades...

Vladimir Antyufeyev, former head of the KGB in Transdniester and wanted by Moldova and Latvia, is apparently the rebels' "vicepremier" in the "Republic of Donetsk" (Ukraine).

Wikipedia:

He is a Russian and Transnistrian citizen. He is wanted by the law enforcement agencies of Latvia and Moldova.

O nouă dovadă a implicării separatiștilor transnistreni în agresiunea rusă din Ucraina. Moscova L-A MUTAT pe Antiufeev de la TIRASPOL la DONEȚK (in Romanian)

July 11, 2014


Former head of the so-called Ministry of Security of separatist Transnistrian region of Moldova, Vladimir Antiufeev was appointed pro-Russian insurgency in the so-called People's Republic Donetsk vice-premier in charge of issues "state security," said agency Regnum quoted The lenta.ru.

He participated in an attempted coup against the new democratic authorities of Latvia, which left many dead and after its failure fled to Moscow on August 23, 1991.
Antiufeev was APB by the Latvian authorities for "crimes against the state", accused of having participated in an attempted coup against the new Latvian authorities. In 1991 he attended the separatists and Russian troops in the war against the Republic of Moldova.
From 1992 to January 2012 led so-called ministry of state security breakaway Transnistrian region.

Attempts to reform the Transnistrian peacekeeping mission aims at having the Russian peacekeeping contingent removed "by all costs"...



Russia Opposes Attempts to Reform Transnistrian Peacekeeping Mission

16/10/2014


Attempts to reform the current peacekeeping mission in the unrecognized Moldovan republic of Transnistria will not contribute to settling the conflict in the region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

“It is evident that political forces, who back a transformation of the existing peacekeeping mission, aim not at reaching guarantees of peace and stability in the Dniester region, but at having the Russian peacekeeping contingent removed from the zone of conflict by all costs,” the ministry said in a statement.

The vote in Moldova will be very interesting to watch:

Moldova votes in 'EU v Russia' election

Seeing as they have banned 1 pro russian party from the vote and tensions might arise.

Transnistria is mobilising. NATO exercises in Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova.


Pro-Russian 'republic' Transnistria calls up reservists as East-West tensions flare

22 Jul 2015


The self-declared republic of Transnistria bordering Moldova and Ukraine has ordered the mobilisation of men aged 18-27 amid fears it could become the next East-West flashpoint.

The mobilisation, ordered in a decree signed by Yevgeny Shevchuk, the Transnistrian president, is the latest sign that relations have deteriorated between pro-Russian Transnistria and its pro-Western neighbours.

In May, Kiev suspended an agreement with Moscow allowing Russian military transit rights across Ukraine to Transnistria, forcing Russia to resupply its peacekeepers via an airport in Chisinau, the Moldovan capital.

Also in May, 137 Transnistrian organisations signed a letter requesting Vladimir Putin to intervene on their behalf should an “emergency” situation develop.

In late June Nina Shtanski, the unrecognised republic’s foreign minister, published an open letter warning of retaliatory measures in response to Moldova’s and Ukraine’s “destructive actions”.

Earlier this month, Jens Stoltenberg, the head of Nato, listed Moldova among countries that Russia is prepared to use force against.

Russia warns US-led military exercises may have 'explosive consequences' as 1,800 troops from 18 countries begin 'morale-boosting' training drills in western Ukraine

20 July 2015


Moscow has warned that US-led military exercises in western Ukraine that began today may have 'explosive consequences' and threaten to derail the peace process in the separatist east.

Official: NATO exercise in Georgia shows alliance commitment

July 22, 2015


NATO troops on Wednesday concluded two weeks of military exercises in Georgia, where more than 200 U.S. Marines took part in a series of drills intended to help allies prepare for crisis-response missions.

The exercise, dubbed Agile Spirit, has traditionally been a bilateral effort between U.S. and Georgian troops. This year, several other NATO allies took part in the training, which alliance officials described as a turning point.

This week, the U.S., along with Poland, Romania and Georgia, kicked off one of the largest ever exercises in Moldova, a country that also is involved in a territorial dispute with Russia.

Transnistria, two days ago:



Tiraspol, two days ago:

Attempts to preserve Moldova's Soviet-era borders are utopian. Talks resumed last week after a two-year break.


Transdniestrian FM says attempts to preserve Moldova’s Soviet-era borders are utopian

June 21


"We make only realistic forecasts, unlike our Moldovan colleagues and some international partners who prefer to follow an utopian idea of preserving the borders of ‘Soviet Moldova,’" the press service of the Transdniestrian foreign ministry quoted his as saying in an interview with German journalists making a film about Transdniestria.

Talks in the 5+2 format, involving Moldova and Transdniestria as parties to the conflict, the OSCE as a mediator, Russia and Ukraine as guarantors and the European Union and the United States as observers, resumed last week in Berlin after a two-year break.

Moldova has apparently again asked NATO for help in withdrawing Russian troops from Tiraspol.


Moldova asks NATO for help in withdrawing Russian troops from Tiraspol

July 14


Moldova’s Defense Minister Anatoly Salary has asked NATO for help in withdrawing Russian peacekeeping troops from Moldova’s unrecognized Republic of Transdniestria, Oleg Belyakov, the co-chairman of the Joint Control Commission for regulating the peacekeeping operation in Transdniestria, told journalists on Thursday.

Such calls reflect a desire to resolve the Transdniestria problem exclusively by force what must be prevented," Belyakov said.

Another task of the Russian peacekeepers is to guard ammunition depots near Kolbasna village. According to various estimates, more than 20,000 tonnes of arms were brought in there after the Soviet troops had withdrawn from Europe. Moldova insists on full withdrawal of Russian troops and arms from Transdniestria. It wants to transform the current peacekeeping operation into an international civil multi-ethnic mission. Ukraine supports the Moldovan government in Chisinau. The Ukrainian government has recently denounced an agreement with Russia that served as basis for supplying the Russian peacekeepers to Transdniestria.

Ukraine has blocked some goods to Tiraspol, including fuel. Tiraspol has threatened to retaliate against Ukraine and Moldova.


Steinmeier promises to take Kiev-Tiraspol transport conflict under control.

July 27


In July, Ukraine blocked the passage of excise products to Transdniestria by railway. Now, goods can travel exclusively via the Moldovan territory where they are subject to registration. The restrictions have complicated the delivery of some types of socially significant goods, including fuel. Transdniestria has threatened to take retaliatory measures both against Kiev and Chisinau. The Transdniestrian authorities believe the restrictions were imposed at the request of Moldova, which wants to control Transdniestria’s import and export operations.

Here's an article in Romanian about the fuel blockade.


Panică la Tiraspol: Criza de combustibil, tot mai aproape


Google translated from Romanian:

21.07.2016


The so-called authorities in Tiraspol are in panic after 40 cars with fuel in Belarus, sent to Transnistria, were stopped at the border with Ukraine.

Thus, in the coming weeks is expected to trigger a crisis of fuel and tariffs on goods and goods to grow amid "clearance unreasonable".

This action qualifies as elements of a Ukrainian authorities 'economic war'.

Prokudin said that Transnistrian authorities remain open to dialogue, but up to a point. "If they come back guns on us, we will defend ourselves," he warned.