The situation is still tense in Moldova. Authorities in the pro-Russian separatist region of Transnistria said on Wednesday that a village bordering Ukraine hosting a major Russian army ammunition depot had come under fire.
“Last night, several drones were spotted over the village of Kolbasna,” said the “Ministry of Interior” of Transnistria, adding that on Wednesday morning, “shots were fired in the direction of Kolbasna from Ukraine”, without causing casualties. The village of Kolbasna, Cobasna in Romanian, is located about two kilometers from the Ukrainian border. A large arms depot, dating from the Soviet period, is there under the control of Russian soldiers deployed in the region.
“Very worrying events”, according to Moldova
This incident comes after a series of explosions on Monday and Tuesday in the region, raising fears of an overflow of the Ukrainian conflict. In response, Moldova announced measures to strengthen its security and called on the population to calm down.
Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu spoke on Wednesday of “very worrying events which represent a dangerous deterioration of the situation”. “Our first duty is to maintain peace in Moldova,” he insisted. “We will do everything to ensure that Moldova stays out of any military escalation in this region”.
According to him, “the Transnistrian authorities announced that they were going to prevent the departure of men of fighting age”. Information denied in the evening by the president of the separatist territory, Vadim Krasnoselski. “I officially declare that such a decision has never been taken,” he said in a message posted on Telegram, denouncing “absurd lies” and “fantasies (…) that have nothing to do with it. see with reality”.
About 1,500 Russian soldiers in Transnistria
The self-proclaimed “republic” of Transnistria seceded from Moldova in 1992, after a short war against Chisinau. Since then, around 1,500 Russian soldiers have been stationed there. In recent days, fears that the conflict in Ukraine could spill over into Transnistria have been amplified after a Russian general claimed that the Kremlin’s offensive in Ukraine was aimed at establishing a corridor to this pro-Russian separatist region. For its part, kyiv accused Russia of wanting to “destabilize” Transnistria in order to justify military intervention.