Moldova

Moldova held an urgent security meeting on Tuesday and the Kremlin voiced serious concerns after two blasts damaged Soviet-era radio masts in the breakaway ...

All vehicles entering at night would be checked, it said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

Irina Stoliarik and her infant son Arkady have spent the last two weeks living in an abandoned movie theater in the Riscani section of Moldova's capital ...

“Right from the beginning of the refugee influx there was a great mobilization from the community to support refugees,” she said in the post. “Most of the support was based on volunteers, so it was really just Moldovans going there with food carts, clothes, offering transport, accommodation and more. Luckily, Boicenko had an uncle in Chisinau connected to the Baptist church. The next day, the Ukrainian government would issue a decree prohibiting military-age men from leaving the country. He knew if he stayed in Ukraine, he and his sons would be drafted into the army. European leaders are aware of the critical position Moldova finds itself in as it struggles to shelter its swelling refugee population. They were reluctant to leave, but that night a cruise missile flew over Boicenko’s home, rattling the windows. Sandu is seeking stronger ties with the European Union and formally applied for membership of the bloc following the invasion. Stoliarik preferred to take her chances in the big city, Chisinau, Moldova’s post-Soviet capital. In a green and cobalt field outside the town of Palanca, close to the country’s border, Moldova’s flag flies high above a temporary tented refugee camp, officially a “sorting and assistance center.” There is space here for hundreds of refugees. Poland has taken in more than 2.6 million, but Moldova has taken in more Ukrainian refugees per capita than any other nation. Outside, hundreds of refugees wait in line for donated clothes, food and children’s toys.

The president of ex-Soviet Moldova on Tuesday convened a meeting of the country's security council after a series of blasts in the Russian-backed separatist ...

President Sandu was elected in 2020 on a pro-Western programme. A senior Russian military official last week raised the issue of "oppression" of Russian speakers in Transnistria in the context of Russia's military campaign in Ukraine. But windows were blown out in the state security ministry building and smoke was "billowing out of the buildings", the Transnistria region's interior ministry said in a statement. "Early on April 26, two explosions were heard in the village of Mayak in Grigoriopolsky district,"it said in a statement. The ministry said two "powerful" antennae that were re-broadcasting Russian radio were out of order, and shared images of them lying on the ground. The press service of President Maia Sandu said she was set to hold a meeting of the country's Supreme Security Council "in connection with the incidents in the Transnistria region".

Two explosions damaged Soviet-era radio masts that broadcast Russian radio from a village in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria on Tuesday (26 ...

Moldova puts its hope in EU membership, although it has not followed Ukraine and Georgia in demanding NATO accession. “The Supreme Security Council will meet from 1300 (1000 GMT) at the Presidency. After the meeting, at 1500, President Maia Sandu will hold a press briefing”, the president’s press office said in a statement. Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Tuesday called for a meeting of the country’s Supreme Security Council in response to the incidents.

Two antenna towers rebroadcasting Russian radio in the region were destroyed in the blasts, local officials said.

In addition to achieving Russia’s goal of “liberating” Russian-speaking regions of eastern Ukraine and creating a land bridge to Crimea, which Moscow illegally annexed in 2014, this would create a new route to Transnistria. Without providing proof, the Kremlin has frequently said Russian-speaking minorities are oppressed in Transnistria, allegations it has previously leveled against Donetsk and Luhansk, separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. Russia has justified their invasion of Ukraine as a means of protecting these Russian minorities. The region has kept close ties with Russia, is supported militarily by Moscow and hosts a large number of Russian troops. Moldova, one of the poorest regions in Europe, has long warned the West of the risks it faces from Russia, particularly as a member of neither NATO nor the European Union. There has been an “explosion” of Russian disinformation in Moldova since it invaded Ukraine in February, Wired reports, stoking anti-refugee sentiment as hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians fled to the country.

Moldova's president has convened the Security Council after authorities in separatist Transdniester said that two radio relays were damaged by blasts and a ...

Because of this, he was deprived of his private house and had to move to a small apartment in the Turkmen capital. He also warned of the threat of a third world war. Moscow has previously blamed Ukraine for attacks in the Russian region of Bryansk, which borders Ukraine. Ukrainian officials say that up to 1,000 civilians are sheltering in the maze of underground tunnels there. Russia said its military struck Ukraine's Kremenchuk oil refinery with long-range missiles and hit military installations in Ukraine. However, the Russian statement could not be independently confirmed. "Russia has made minor advances in some areas since shifting its focus to fully occupying the Donbas, it tweeted on April 25. "There was a hope that the case will be reviewed and sent for a new investigation. Baku wants the peace deal to be based on five elements, including a mutual recognition of each other’s territorial integrity. The 40 Russian diplomats expelled three weeks ago "did not spend a day in diplomatic service during their stay in Germany," she said in a statement. "I am not Russian. And openly stating that does not diminish Russian culture, does not offend the state-founding ethnic group. Separately, Transdniester's Security Council reported a "terrorist attack" on a military unit near the city of Tiraspol, without elaborating. It is demanding financial compensation for the damages and wants access to its channel restored.

Russia said it wants to "avoid" dragging the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria into the Ukraine war. Concerns that the unrecognized republic could ...

Transnistria's Interior Ministry reported explosions took place at the radio-broadcast center in the village of Mayak 30 miles north of the capital Tiraspol around 7 a.m. Tuesday. Following Monday's blast, the Moldovan government said in a media statement shared with Newsweek that the aim of the incident "is to create pretexts for straining the security situation in the Transnistrian region, which is not controlled by the constitutional authorities." Russia said it wants to "avoid" dragging the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria into the Ukraine war.

The reports of explosions in Transnistria could stoke fears about the scope of Russia's war in neighboring Ukraine.

The weapons: Ukraine is making use of weapons such as Javelin antitank missiles and Switchblade “kamikaze” drones, provided by the United States and other allies. In Transnistria, the Internal Affairs Ministry said explosions in the village of Mayak on Tuesday morning damaged two antennae that broadcast Russian radio. The ministry said there were no injuries. The region, which broke away after the collapse of the Soviet Union triggered a conflict in the early 1990s, is not recognized as independent by any country but operates separately from Moldova. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blasts. A Moldovan government body warned Monday of possible attempts to “create pretexts for straining the security situation in the Transnistrian region,” and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry called the blasts a “planned provocation by the Russian special services.”

The disturbances in the region come just days after a senior Russian military official outlined plans to take full control of eastern and southern Ukraine to ...

Moldova’s office of reintegration said the disturbances in Tiraspol appeared to be a pretext to worsen the security situation in the region. The interior ministry in Transnistria, a strip of land between the Dniester river and Ukraine’s border, on Tuesday claimed that two radio towers were destroyed by an explosion in the Grigoriopol region, according to Moldovan media. Moscow, Apr 26 (EFE).- Moldova’s president Maia Sandu on Tuesday convened a security meeting following a series of explosions in the region of Transnistria, a Russian-backed breakaway region in Moldova that borders Ukraine.

The prospect of the war in Ukraine pulling in neighboring Moldova has been increased after two antennas that broadcast Russian radio were blown up in its ...

He said that "control over the south of Ukraine is another exit into Transnistria, where there are also facts pointing to the oppression of the Russian-speaking population." Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow was watching the situation in Transnistria "very closely" adding that "the news from there is a matter of concern," according to RIA Novosti. No one was injured in Monday's incident which the ministry said was caused by a grenade-launcher attack which blew out windows and caused smoke to billow out of the buildings.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu on Tuesday urged citizens to remain calm while she stepped up security measures after a series of explosions in the breakaway ...

“This is an attempt to escalate tensions. Sandu said after a meeting of the Supreme Security Council: “We urge citizens to keep calm and feel safe.” Sandu convened the country’s Supreme Security Council after blasts on Monday and Tuesday in the separatist region bordering Ukraine raised fears of a spillover from the conflict there.

Trans-Dniester doesn't usually get much attention. But European leaders are watching it closely because it hosts about 1500 Russian troops and shares a ...

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It's unclear who was responsible for the attacks. In response, Moldovan President Maia Sandu convened a security council meeting. Read More.

Today the official goals of the Russian presence in Trans-Dniester are to prevent a return to conflict and protect 22,000 tons of Soviet-era military equipment in the tiny village of Cobasna. “If they changed their position, the EU could suspend the application of the deep and comprehensive free trade agreement with the region, since hypothetically such a corridor with the Russian Federation would ensure effective occupation of the territory.” They want to decrease the insecurity coming from it,” Cenusa said. The announcement came after alleged attacks on two communication towers and on a state building in the self-declared capital, Tiraspol, as well as an incident involving a military unit in the village of Parkany. It’s unclear who was responsible for the attacks. That said, Russia will continue to drive pressure on Moldova,” Vlas said. However, last week, Moldova’s Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Andrei Spinu said his government was looking into buying electricity from Ukraine when the contract with the Russian-owned company MoldGres expires next month. “I tend to see this as part of the disinformation campaign and information war against Moldova in this case.” Russian disinformation seeps into the country’s Russian-language media, while the country’s socialist party, which has deep ties to Moscow, held the presidency for four years until 2020, when pro-EU candidate Sandu was elected. Speaking to journalists in Washington last week, Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu acknowledged the country’s exposure to the war in Ukraine. “We’re the most fragile neighbor of Ukraine, we’re the country that is most affected by it, and we’re the country that has the fewest resources to deal with the situation and the fallout of the war,” he said. The Trans-Dniestrian military is thought to have around 4,000 active troops. It’s unclear how long the relative quiet in the breakaway region will last. But the remarks have highlighted Moldova’s precarious position.

Transnistria is a literal powder keg, as it's home to a massive stockpile of aging Soviet-era explosives and ammunition. REZINA, Moldova — The Russian-uniformed ...

"And from what I've heard, there's no appetite for those armed forces to get involved in the Ukraine conflict." The Russian soldiers remain there primarily to guard the ammunition depot, left behind as the Soviet army withdrew from Europe at the end of World War II, and to protect a polluting steel foundry that belches smoke over the area. Like many Ukrainians, Khorenjenko worries that Russia will annex Transnistria the way it did the Crimea or the Donbas regions. The building hit by explosions was empty because it was a public holiday, although Transnistrian media reported that some windows in surrounding homes were broken by the blast. That's what really worries a lot of people," said Olena Khorenjenko, 33, a Ukrainian refugee who fled to Moldova and is familiar with Transnistria. "These are our neighbors — not some faraway people." Moldovan officials said the Monday explosions were caused by grenade launchers.

Tensions are rising in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transdniestria, adjacent to Ukraine, where authorities say explosions have hit radio masts and the ...

The separatists have blamed Ukraine, which deny any connection with the incidents. About 420,000 people live in the region and some people hold more than one passport. They said there had been another attack on a military unit. The mainly Russian-speaking region broke away from then-Soviet Moldova in 1990. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

Warning comes as Moldovan president blames 'pro-war forces' for explosions in separatist-controlled region.

Explosions rocked the small, Russian-aligned breakaway region of Moldova known as Transnistria Tuesday, raising concerns that a new front could open in the ...

Two explosions Tuesday morning took out a pair of powerful radio antennas along the Ukrainian border, Transnistrian police said. The report also claims that American intelligence has been instrumental in Kyiv’s decision to move Ukrainian airplanes and air defenses daily in a bid to keep Russia from gaining air superiority. Explosions rocked the small, Russian-aligned breakaway region of Moldova known as Transnistria Tuesday, raising concerns that a new front could open in the war in Ukraine.

A string of unexplained explosions in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria has raised fears that President Vladimir Putin could have plans for his war ...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned that Russia wants to capture other countries. The mainly Russian-speaking enclave is home to fewer than 500,000 people; the rest of Moldova has some 2.6 million. It’s a sliver of land that runs roughly between the Dniester river in eastern Moldova and Ukraine. It covers about 4,160 square kilometers (1,600 square miles), or about 12% of the territory of Moldova, Europe’s poorest country.

Moldova has repeatedly called on Russia to observe a pledge made at an OSCE summit in 1999 to evacuate both the ammunition depot and the troops that guard it.

"There was a hope that the case will be reviewed and sent for a new investigation. The 40 Russian diplomats expelled three weeks ago "did not spend a day in diplomatic service during their stay in Germany," she said in a statement. "This gathering reflects the galvanized world," Austin said in his opening remarks. During the meeting, Guterres criticized Russia’s military action in Ukraine as a flagrant violation of its neighbor’s territorial integrity. Separately, Transdniester's Security Council reported a "terrorist attack" on a military unit near the city of Tiraspol, without elaborating. “Chisinau continues to insist on a peaceful settlement of the Transdniester conflict.” It added it has the right to pursue damages over breach of contract. It is demanding financial compensation for the damages and wants access to its channel restored. The Bulgarian Energy Ministry said that Bulgarian state-owned supplier Bulgargaz had received a similar notification. The details are to be clarified before the proposal comes up in the National Assembly next week. "This gathering reflects the galvanized world," Austin said in his opening remarks. RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the major developments on Russia's invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians, and Western reaction.

Moldova's pro-Russian breakaway region of Transdniestria said on Wednesday that shots were fired from Ukraine towards a village that houses an ammunition ...

Kyiv blamed Moscow for masterminding the attacks that included explosions that damaged two radio masts. The Moscow-backed region said it had been targeted by a series of attacks and accused Ukraine of involvement. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com

Ukrainian and Moldovan authorities have warned that the explosions are part of Russia's alleged plan to destabilize Moldova's pro-EU, pro-Western government led ...

But sources outside of Russia contradict the Kremlin's attempts at reassuring Moldova and the Western world. Fighting only halted in July of that same year, when a cease-fire was agreed between the two parties. The first blasts were reported on Monday when several explosions hit the Ministry of State Security in Tiraspol, the largest city and the capital of the breakaway region. Again, nobody claimed responsibility for the attack and its source wasn't identified. More explosions followed the day after the Tiraspol incident. According to local officials, the attack was committed using rocket-propelled grenades.

A series of unexplained explosions have occurred in parts of Transnistria, a breakaway territory within Moldova that has housed Russian troops for decades, ...

"By his actions, the enemy is trying to cut off part of the Odesa region and create tension amid the events" in Transnistria, Marchenko said. "Our analysis shows that there are tensions between forces inside that region interested in destabilizing the situation. Maksym Marchenko, head of the Odesa region military administration, said Russia had used three missiles, one of which had struck the bridge. (Armed Forces of Ukraine) know this and are working on this." That deadlock has left the territory and its estimated 500,000 inhabitants trapped in limbo. The major roads of its capital Tiraspol include Lenin Street, Strada Karl Marx and 25th October Street -- commemorating the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. Transnistria has long been powered by its industrial output, and its economy is heavily dependent on Russian subsidies. Where poverty thrives and where human life is worthless." Two radio towers were subsequently damaged on Tuesday morning. Ukraine described the blasts as a planned provocation by Russian security services. Russian state news agency TASS quoted the general as saying the country's aim was to create a land corridor between Ukraine's eastern Donbas region and Crimea, adding that control over Ukraine's south would give Russian forces access to Transnistria -- a strategy that many in Chisinau had long feared was Putin's goal. Russian state news agency TASS quoted the general as saying the country's aim was to create a land corridor between Ukraine's eastern Donbas region and Crimea, adding that control over Ukraine's south would give Russian forces access to Transnistria -- a strategy that many in Chisinau had long feared was Putin's goal.

Military tensions and political concern are heating up in Transnistria, a breakaway state of Moldova that borders Ukraine. An Eastern European expert ...

The fighting in Ukraine prompted Ukraine to reevaluate and tighten its border policy. Russia has long sought to keep Moldova, formerly part of the Soviet Union, in its political sphere of influence. Moldova’s energy sector is one of its greatest vulnerabilities. If activated, combat-ready Russian troops in Transnistria could quickly destabilize the region. It is an unrecognized breakaway state that left Moldova after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990. The presence of Russian troops in Transnistria prevents Moldova from fully controlling its own borders. These soldiers have homes and families in Transnistria. The Ukraine war and the presence of Russian troops in Transnistria has made Moldovans and some international experts worried that Russia could attack Moldova next. Moldova signed a free-trade deal with the European Union in 2014, also allowing trade to be conducted from Transnistria. Transnistria’s trade with western Europe has since continued to grow, as its trade with Russia declines. Moldova is located between the European Union, bordering Romania and southwestern Ukraine. Russian troops stationed in Transnistria give Moscow a way to intimidate Moldova and limit its Western aspirations. Transnistria – officially called the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic – is a narrow strip of land between Moldova and western Ukraine that is home to about 500,000 people. Ukraine has alleged that the explosions were set off by Russia as a pretext for Russian troops advancing to Transnistria, and using it as a military platform for further operations in Ukraine, more than two months after it first launched a war there.