Russia Warns Moldova of Possible Intervention Over Threats to Transnistria

Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s former defense minister and now the secretary of the Security Council, warned that Russia could intervene if the unrecognized region of Transnistria were threatened.

The Moscow Times reported this.

He claimed that Moldova’s capital, Chișinău, allegedly with Ukraine’s involvement, has imposed a “blockade” on the region and is worsening living conditions for residents by creating barriers in trade, banking, and transportation.

“These include restrictions on freedom of movement, illegal customs charges, and arbitrary deprivation of citizenship… The situation, I’ll say it plainly, is difficult. Key industries are either not operating or functioning intermittently, and there is a chronic shortage of energy resources,” Shoigu said.

He added that “the rhetoric of Moldova’s leadership regarding Transnistria increasingly resembles statements made by Ukraine’s authorities about Donbas after 2014,” and warned Chișinău against escalation, threatening possible Russian intervention.

“More than 220,000 Russian citizens live in Transnistria, and their interests and safety are now at risk due to what he called reckless and irresponsible actions by Kyiv and Chișinău. If necessary, Russia will take all required measures and use all available means to protect them,” the statement said.

Shoigu also accused Moldova of trying to force out the Russian military’s operational group from Transnistria. He said that on April 17, Moldovan authorities declared the leadership of this contingent persona non grata, effectively limiting their ability to travel outside the region.

In his view, this step “clearly confirms” Chișinău’s firm intention to further escalate the situation.

It was recently reported that Russia is planning to create a buffer zone in Ukraine’s Vinnytsia region from the side of the unrecognized Transnistria. Russian troops have maintained a presence there since the early 1990s, following the 1992 conflict.

Formally, they operate as a “peacekeeping contingent” and units guarding ammunition depots, but Moldova’s authorities consider their presence illegal.

According to Ukraine’s ambassador to Moldova, the so-called “Operational Group of Russian Forces” currently includes more than 1,000 armed personnel.

A significant portion of these troops are local residents holding Russian passports, which means that full troop rotation from Russia itself is effectively not taking place.

These forces have limited military capability and mainly serve a political role, ensuring Russia’s influence in the region.

Meanwhile, this year, Moldova presented a plan for the reintegration of Transnistria for the first time since 2003.