Information
Pro-Russian officials in the Moldovan region of Transnistria have called for help from Moscow “in the face of increased pressure.” The officials are concerned that the tensions over the territory could create a new conflict between Moscow and neighboring Ukraine. A special congress was held in the region, where officials passed a resolution to ask Russia’s Federation Council and the State Duma “to implement measures to protect Transnistria in the face of increased pressure from Moldova.”
The reason for holding a special congress was not disclosed, but officials plan to address the deepening row over customs duties with the government in Moldova’s capital, Chisinau. Moldova introduced customs regulations this year that require companies in Transnistria to pay import duties into the Moldovan budget. The congress accused the Moldovan government of unleashing “economic war” on the region, blocking crucial imports and seeking to turn it into a “ghetto.”
The “foreign policy chief” of the self-styled republic, Vitaly Ignatiev, told the meeting that “the international community cannot ignore the decisions of the current congress,” but he did not indicate what those decisions would be. In response to the call for help, Russia stated that it viewed Transnistria and the protection of its residents as important, saying that “protecting the interests of the residents of Transnistria, our compatriots, is one of our priorities.”
Source: Reuters, AFP
Assessment
While authorities in Moldova have dismissed concerns about Russian intervention, there remains a realistic possibility that Russia will attempt to support the region. How they hope to achieve this remains unknown at this stage as any attempted air movement to the area would almost certainly be engaged by Ukrainian air defence. It is possible that this announcement is just a political move to stir up anti-Ukrainian support within the Russian support base both domestically and internationally. Definitely one to watch over the next few weeks!
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