Transnistria asks Russia for "protection"

Representatives of pro-Russian rebels in the breakaway region of Transnistria from Moldova called on Russia for "protection" amid fears that the territory could become a new point of tension in Moscow's conflict with neighboring Ukraine, AFP reported.
The thin strip of land is de facto controlled by pro-Russian forces after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but is internationally recognized as part of Moldova.
At a special congress in the region - only the seventh in its history - deputies adopted a resolution asking the Russian parliament to "protect" Transnistria from "increasing pressure from Moldova".
They said the Moldovan government in Chisinau had launched an "economic war" against Transnistria, blocking vital imports with the aim of turning it into a "ghetto".
"The decisions of the current congress cannot be ignored by the international community," the head of foreign policy of the breakaway republic, Vitaly Ignatiev, said at the meeting.
The resolution comes just a day before President Vladimir Putin makes an annual address to Russian lawmakers and at a time when Ukraine is suffering setbacks on the battlefield.
The separatist territory last held a congress in 2006, when lawmakers announced a referendum on integration with Russia. The vote ended with an overwhelming majority in favor of the proposal.
Moscow's call for help has fueled comparisons to February 2022, when Russian-backed fighters in eastern Ukraine called for protection against "incessant attacks and shelling by Kiev forces".
Conference delegates barely mentioned Ukraine, according to state media, instead directing their anger at Moldova, which they blame for the territory's economic woes.
A Moldovan government spokesman downplayed the concerns.
"From Chisinau, things seem calm. There is no danger of escalation and destabilization of the situation in Transnistria. This is yet another campaign to create hysteria," said a message in Telegram.
Moldova has accused the Kremlin of fueling tensions in Transnistria, a predominantly Russian-speaking region that is heavily dependent on Moscow's support.
Since Moscow launched its full-scale attack on Ukraine, Chisinau has feared that the Kremlin could use Transnistria to open a new front in the southwest of the country, in the direction of Odessa.
The small region was rocked by unexplained explosions in 2022, which military analysts say may have been a Russian attempt to draw the region into the conflict.
Then, in March 2023, Transnistria's pro-Russian leadership accused Kiev of attempting to assassinate their leader, a charge Ukraine denies.
The Kremlin has about 1,500 troops in the region and has warned Ukraine and Moldova that an attack on them would have serious consequences.
Russia still supports Transnistria's economy with free gas supplies, but since the conflict in Ukraine, the separatist republic has found itself increasingly isolated from Moscow.
The meeting of Transnistrian officials comes as Ukraine faces intense pressure on the front line, where it has recently been losing ground to Russia amid growing ammunition shortages.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Albania for the summit of Southeast European countries, where he issued a new call for more aid. /BGNES