Latest news with #Transnistrian
Metro
20-07-2025
- Metro
I went to a European country that doesn't exist
Kieran Brown is fascinated by places that don't exist. Not officially, at least. The British content creator recently spent a day in Transnistria, a breakaway republic of Moldova that is of Europe's most unusual destinations: a self-declared nation that the world doesn't recognise. Touted as a 'surreal relic of Soviet times', this tiny enclave – known locally as Pridnestrovie – is a magnet for intrepid travellers. It's got Lenin statues and ramshackle restaurants run by babushkas. It's got a ghostly railway station, a dark military history and streets that look like a time-warp to the past. In other words, it's fascinating. 'There's not a ton to do, it's more about soaking up the weirdness of it all,' Kieran, 29, tells Metro. 'Hammer and sickle flags are still flying, and the ATMs don't accept Visa or Mastercard.' Best remember to bring cash, then. The local currency is the Transnistrian ruble, valued against the Euro at 20 to 1. It's the only accepted currency used in day-to-day life there. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. Sandwiched between the Ukrainian border and the Dniester River, Transnistria broke away from Moldova in a short civil war in the early 1990s. Backed by Russia, it became a de facto independent republic, with its own government, parliament, military, police, currency, postal system and vehicle registration. The separatist region has also adopted its own constitution, flag and national anthem. But under international law, it belongs to Moldova. It's difficult to find accurate information on what life is really like there; for instance, population estimates vary wildly, from 300,000 to 475,000, depending on who you ask. What we do know for certain is, it's cheap. Very cheap, even by eastern European standards. Kieran estimates that he spent around $15 for a whole day of sightseeing and food. A big bottle of vodka is the equivalent of one US dollar, he says. This place punches above its weight. Transnistria is home to a football team that beat Real Madrid in 2021 – the greatest upset in Champions League history. At the time, the estimated value of the entire Sheriff squad was 12 million euros ($14m), about the same as the annual salary of Madrid defender David Alaba. As for Transnistrian locals, Kieran had a mixed bag. 'People were generally stoic but polite, especially the older ones,' he says. 'Younger people often speak a bit of English and are curious why you're there. One man in a tracksuit accused us of being spies as we had a camera but our driver sorted it out.' You can't fly to Transnistria as it doesn't have an international airport. So, if you want to visit, you'll need to follow Kieran's lead and take a day trip from the Moldovan capital, Chișinău. From there, it's around a 90-minute drive or marshrutka (shared minibus) to Tiraspol. For most nationalities, no visa is necessary, but there is a border crossing patrolled by Russian soldiers. Many countries advise against travel to Transnistria due to its proximity to Ukraine, and the fact it is outside the control of the Moldovan government. The UK is one of them, so if you decide to travel, you'll be doing so at your own risk. The Foreign Office won't be on hand to help. It's always a good idea to research ahead of any trip, and have reasonable knowledge of what you're getting yourself into. Kieran says he felt completely safe, even at night. He also knows solo women backpackers who have been there without an issue. 'It's very quiet, with a heavy police and military presence,' he says. 'As long as you don't go filming military bases or causing a scene, you're fine.' More Trending Does he plan to hit up more unrecognised states? You bet. Kieran has already been to Northern Cyprus, a breakaway state that declared independence in 1983 following the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Next, he plans to visit Somaliland in the Horn of Africa. 'There's something fascinating about places that exist in this limbo between countries,' he says. 'They often tell you more about global politics, identity, and history than official capitals ever could.' MORE: 'City of dreams': The Spanish destination that hasn't succumbed to mass tourism MORE: The best lesser-known Greek islands for dodging tourists in 2025 MORE: 'Like the Caribbean': Ibiza's quiet little sister with lunar beaches and turquoise oceans
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia plans crisis in breakaway Transnistria to sway elections in Moldova
Moldovan President Maia Sandu believes Russia may trigger an even deeper crisis in Transnistria, the Russian-backed breakaway region on the left bank of the Dnister, in an effort to destabilise Moldova ahead of this autumn's parliamentary elections and influence voting there. Source: Sandu on Moldovan TV channel PRO TV, as reported by European Pravda, citing Moldovan news outlet Newsmaker Details: Sandu expects the crisis to deepen in the coming months. "All these years, Russia has been using the residents of Transnistria and can provoke an even greater crisis at any moment if it suits its plans in Moldova. We can expect this crisis to deepen in the coming months, before the elections," Sandu said. The president also believes that Russia may try not only to bribe voters in Transnistria but also to blackmail the population by deliberately provoking instability in the region. "Russia may promise assistance in exchange for votes on the right bank [i.e. Moldovan government-controlled territory]. We can expect all kinds of games," she added. Meanwhile, Sandu said that the relevant state authorities are assessing the risks and will do everything possible to ensure this autumn's elections are free and fair. "We will do everything possible to ensure that the elections are genuine," Sandu stressed, noting that the situation in Transnistria remains unstable and that Chișinău is ready to support the population of the left bank of the Dnister, but first the Moldovan authorities must resolve "the main problem – the withdrawal of Russian troops". "This is a key issue that we must resolve peacefully, because otherwise we will not be able to justify our financial support," Sandu concluded. Background: Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said in an interview with the Financial Times that Russia wants to deploy 10,000 troops in the separatist Transnistrian region of Moldova and establish a pro-Kremlin government in Chișinău. In response, Sandu said she had "certain information" that Russia was preparing to expand its military contingent in Transnistria. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Transnistria again declares economic emergency over Russian gas cut
Moldova's Russian-occupied Transnistria region declared a 30-day state of emergency in its economy on June 11, citing a sharp reduction in natural gas supplies, Moldovan media outlet Newsmaker reported. The unrecognized region, located in eastern Moldova along the Ukrainian border, has faced growing energy shortages since January, when Russian gas giant Gazprom halted deliveries to the territory. Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky issued a decree unanimously approved by parliament. Lawmakers said the state of emergency was necessary due to a "severe general economic crisis" and ongoing socio-economic decline from the energy crunch. It is the sixth consecutive extension of emergency measures in the region since December 2024. The most recent 90-day extension expired on June 8. Transnistria had previously received around 2 million cubic meters of gas per day, but since early June, daily supplies have been halved, according to Moldovan energy official Alexander Slusar, cited by Newsmaker. "This is a request from the company Tiraspoltransgaz (the largest gas supplier in Transnistria), which justifies its decision by citing a lack of funds," Slusar said. Chisinau has not been buying Russian gas since 2022, but Russian-occupied Transnistria continued to get its gas from Russia until Jan. 1, 2025. The halt in gas deliveries on Jan. 1 was due to Ukraine's decision to stop Russian gas transit, including supplies to Moldova, and Moldova's debt for gas supplies. Transnistria had been effectively acquiring gas free of charge — a political tool that Russia used to keep the region under its control. The breakaway region's debt for Russian gas amounts to more than $10 billion, according to Moldovagaz, a subsidiary of Russian gas giant Gazprom. On Feb. 14, Transnistria began receiving gas through a new arrangement: fuel is delivered via a Hungarian company through Moldovagaz, the largest energy company in Moldova, with payments funded by a Russian loan. The new arrangement followed extensive power outages in Transnistria, which drove the region toward industrial collapse. In February, Moldova's government said Transnistrian authorities rejected a 60 million euro ($62 million) EU energy aid package under pressure from Moscow, which continues to exert tight political and economic control over the region. Transnistria, home to around 465,800 people, remains internationally recognized as part of Moldova but has been controlled by pro-Russian separatists since the early 1990s. Russia maintains a military presence in the territory, despite international calls to withdraw. Read also: As Russia inches closer to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, new Ukrainian region might soon be at war We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
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First Post
05-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Putin wants puppet govt in Moldova to deploy troops in breakaway region Transnistria, warns PM
Moldova's Prime Minister Dorin Recean has warned that Vladimir Putin wants to install a puppet government in the country so it can strengthen Russia's hold on the breakaway region of Transnistria. read more Vladimir Putin wants to install a puppet government in Moldova so it can strengthen Russia's hold on the breakaway region of Transnistria, the country's premier has warned. Moldova is sandwiched between Ukraine to the north, east, and south, and Romania to the west. Its border region of Transnistria has been controlled by a pro-Russia regime since 1990. With the Russian backing, the separatists fought and won a brief war with Moldova in 1992. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ahead of elections in the country in September, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean has told Financial Times that Putin is interfering in the country's politics so that he could replace the pro-European Union (EU) government with a pro-Russia, puppet government. If such a puppet government is elected, Putin would deploy 10,000 soldiers in Transnistria, said Recean. 'This is a huge effort to undermine Moldovan democracy' Recean has said that Putin's plot is a bid to undermine Moldova's democracy. 'This is a huge effort to undermine Moldovan democracy. They want to consolidate their military presence in the Transnistrian region,' said Reacan. Since 1992, when Russia intervened in favour of the separatist regime, its soldiers have been stationed in Transnistria. The number, however, is relatively small and it is not easy to deploy more soldiers as the region is landlocked and has no direct road link to Russia. Recean further said, 'You can imagine with 10,000 troops, what the leverage and pressure would be on the south-western part of Ukraine, but also close to Romania, which is a Nato member state.' Russia has long had eyes on Moldova This is not the first time that Russian interference has been reported in Moldova, formerly a part of the Soviet Union. In last year's referendum about the European Union (EU) membership, unprecedented Russian interference was reported in the form of propaganda dissemination, buying people's votes, and subversive activities like cyberattacks. A narrow majority of people voted to make way for Moldova's EU membership. The process to join the EU began last year and is expected to be completed by 2028-29. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For years, analysts have warned that Moldova could be the next target of Russian aggression after Ukraine as it is a former Soviet republic in Russia's extended neighbourhood and is neither a member of Nato nor the EU. This means the country has no external security blanket like some other countries in Russia's neighbourhood or extended neighbourhood, such as Finland and Romania. Moreover, unlike Ukraine, Moldova has a very small and poorly armed and trained military that is unlikely to withstand any invasion. The country is therefore considered a soft target for Russia.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia seeks to deploy 10000 troops to Transnistria and potentially undermine election, Moldovan PM Recean says
Russia aims to deploy 10,000 troops to Transnistria and install a pro-Kremlin government in Moldova to enable it, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean told the Financial Times in an interview published June 4. 'They want to consolidate their military presence in the Transnistrian region,' Recean said, adding that Russia's goal is to increase leverage not only near Ukraine's southwest but also close to NATO member Romania. Although Russia has maintained a limited military presence in Transnistria since the 1990s, only 1,000-1,500 troops remain today. 'Currently, their forces there are almost meaningless,' Recean noted. However, he warned that a Russia-leaning government in Chisinau could authorize a buildup, citing Moldovan intelligence estimates for the 10,000-troop target. Recean accused Russia of meddling in Moldova's upcoming parliamentary elections through propaganda, illegal financing, and 'spending the equivalent of 1% of Moldova's GDP' on influence operations in 2024. He said Moldovan authorities had intercepted citizens carrying large sums of Russian cash and discovered that 130,000 voters in the previous election received money from Russian sources. 'This is a huge effort to undermine Moldovan democracy,' Recean said, affirming that Moldova remains committed to becoming an EU member.' The Kremlin has not publicly responded to these allegations. Transnistria is a Russia-controlled breakaway region of Moldova that Moscow occupied in the early 1990s under the pretext of protecting the Russian population. The region borders Ukraine's Odesa Oblast and is internationally recognized as part of Moldova. Read also: Polish PM Tusk blames Russian hackers for cyberattacks ahead of presidential election We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
