Western states and Ukraine have staged terrorist acts in Transnistria in order to push Moldova into NATO and capture the ammunition stored in the region from the days of the Soviet Union, the Russian media writes. These false narratives are used alongside an older metanarrative about the West’s responsibility for the war in Ukraine.
NEWS: “This week, a number of terrorist attacks were organized in Transnistria. Explosions were heard in a village that hosts a munitions storehouse. According to authorities in the unrecognized republic, Ukraine is also involved in this incident.
The expert of the “Rossiya segodnya” media outlet, Aleksandr Hrolenko, told Radio Sputnik that Kyiv is in fact responsible for these terrorist attacks. “Let’s start with what’s important. It’s not the Kyiv regime calling the shots. Do you remember that strange visit to Ukraine of Pentagon chief Austin and Secretary of State Blinken? The shooting in Transnistria started shortly afterwards”, Hrolenko said.
According to the military expert, the unrecognized republic and the Russian peacekeeping corps deployed to the area hamstring the USA. “The USA have long been hamstrung by Transnistria and Russian peacekeepers, who prevent Moldova from being absorbed into NATO, since according to its Constitution, the country is for the time being neutral. It is possible, however, that by uniting with Romania, Moldova should automatically become part of NATO. But the peacekeepers represent an obstacle. Against the backdrop of the developments in Ukraine, the Americans probably want to start a fire in Transnistria, in order to organize a “peacemaking” operation there as well. We know that Romanian territory right now is not hosting only Romanian, but Polish and American troops as well. Starting December, 400 US marines have been put up in hotels in Chișinău”, Aleksandr Hrolenko said.
The purpose of the terrorist actions in Transnistria is to acquire the munitions stored on the territory of the unrecognized republic, since the weapons delivered by the West do not always fit the requirements of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, LNR authorities believe. According to Hrolenko, Western states are supplying Kyiv with “scrap metal”. […]
NARRATIVES: 1. The Americans organized the terrorist attacks in Transnistria. 2. The USA is looking for ways to bring Moldova into NATO, but the Russian peacekeepers in the Transnistrian region are thwarting their plans. 3. Ukrainians staged terrorist attacks in Transnistria in order to get their hands of the munitions stored in a local warehouse. 4. The West is supplying Kyiv with old weapons that cannot be used in battle.
BACKGROUND: The region of Transnistria has posed a major risk to the security of the Republic of Moldova for 30 years, since the war on the Dniester in 1992, started and supported by the Kremlin. The 14th Russian Army was involved in the conflict back then, after being withdrawn from Eastern Europe and stationed in the eastern rayons of Eastern Moldova. Right now, the territory on the other side of the Dniester hosts munitions dating back to the Soviet era, guarded by Russian military. With the launch of the Russian-Ukrainian war, the threat of a military aggression has resurfaced in this area. Transnistria and the Russian forces it hosts can be used to open up a new frontline against Ukraine, or at least to keep the Ukrainian military on high alert. There is also a high risk that Transnistrian forces might be used in a targeted attack on Chișinău. Over April 25-27, a number of explosions were reported in Transnistria, at the headquarters of the local Ministry of State Security, at Tiraspol Airport, whereas two radio emitters were destroyed. Furthermore, reports came in of shooting close to the largest ammunition storehouse in Cobasna. Experts have described these incidents as acts of provocation organized by Russian special services, while Russia labeled them acts of terrorism. Shortly after the incident in Tiraspol, the authorities declared a code red alert against terrorist threats, and set up additional checkpoints without consulting the Moldovan side. At the same time, the Tiraspol administration has displayed prudence, not wishing to further escalate the situation in the region. Chișinău officials claim there might be two clashing factions in Transnistria, one seeking to involve Transnistria in the war effort, while the other showing more restraint. Experts too believe that Transnistrian authorities have no interest to get involved in a war that would endanger the prosperity of the economic and business elites of Tiraspol. On Thursday evening, Moldova’s deputy prime minister for reintegration, Oleg Serebrian, and presidential adviser on security matters, Dorin Recean, met with the president of the self-proclaimed republic, Vadim Krasnoselsky, and the chief negotiator for Transnistria, Vitaly Ignatiev, to discuss a number of security issues.
PURPOSE: The purpose of the narratives is to accuse Ukraine of acts of aggression against Moscow-backed Transnistria. Moreover, they are also designed to reinforce the Kremlin’s disinformation about the USA being responsible for the war in Ukraine.
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: The incidents in Cobasna have not yet been confirmed by official sources, according to Moldovan Prime Minister, Natalia Gavriliță, as well as Oleg Belyakov, the co-chariman of the Joint Control Commission for the management of the peacekeeping operation in Transnistria. The latter told TASS that only a few gunfire shots were reported on the Ukrainian side of the border.
NATO has consolidated its presence in member states on the eastern flank, including Romania, but only in response to Russia’s aggression in the region, the most recent example being the large-scale invasion of Ukraine. Previously, Russia attacked Ukraine and annexed Crimea in 2014, attacked Georgia in 2008 and was involved in the Transnistrian war against the Republic of Moldova, etc.
The narrative regarding the presence of US troops in the Republic of Moldova is slightly older and was debunked by Veridica as early as 2021. Similarly, the idea of an alleged NATO hostility against the Russian Federation is one of the false narratives that the Kremlin has been constantly promoting in an attempt to legitimize its aggressions. The truth is that NATO is a defensive alliance that expanded eastwards following the requests of states in the region. It was in light of their historical troubles with the Russian Empire and the USSR that these states sought NATO protection. Considering the current developments in Ukraine, the fears of NATO’s eastern members have been confirmed, while their decision to join NATO turned out to be providential.
The Republic of Moldova is in a different position compared to other East-European countries that have joined NATO, due to its neutrality status, stipulated by the country’s Constitution and continuously supported by the majority of the population. The unionist trend is also a minor movement, therefore the possibility of Moldova joining NATO or uniting with Romania is completely out of the question.
The Soviet-era ammunition and the Russian troops have remained in Transnistria despite the repeated requests from the Republic of Moldova to leave the country. We’re talking about old military equipment and ammunition that have been stored for at least 30 years, making them unsafe, at least partially. The United States and their allies don’t need the equipment and munitions – numerous states from Eastern Europe, including members of NATO, produce ammo and equipment of Soviet design, and the United States have been purchasing such ammunition from them for over 20 years. In addition, the equipment and ammo of this type represent just a part of the weapon shipments to Ukraine, while the rest are NATO-compatible, more modern weapons and ammunition. Perhaps the best-known such equipment are the Javelin anti-tank systems, and the older Stinger anti-air systems. The list also includes light or heavy weapon systems (American mortars, Australian armored vehicles, possibly German-made tanks, etc.).
Worth noting is that the attack on the Ministry of State Security in Tiraspol was staged on a non-working day, when the building was empty, thus causing no victims or significant damage. The other attacks did not target any major strategic landmark. The two radio emitters in Mayak that were shot down were out of order, the chairman of Moldova’s Parliament Committee on National Security, Defense and Public Order, Lilian Carp has said. In a broadcast on Radio Chișinău, the Moldovan official pointed out that the military airport in Tiraspol was not operational at the time of the attack. All of the above confirm the hypothesis of false-flag operations organized with a view to destabilizing the Republic of Moldova.
