Breakaway Moldova Region to Open 'Embassy' in Russia

Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria is to open a diplomatic office in the centre of Moscow on New Arbat Street alongside the "embassies" of other unrecognised similar entities such as Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

The mission will open this month, the chief of the Transnistrian diplomacy, Vitaly Ignatiev, said on Sunday.

"The opening [of the office] will be an important step in enhancing cooperation with Russia and will provide appropriate assistance to residents of Transnistria living in Russia," Ignatiev said.

An announcement of the new diplomatic establishment in Russia was also made by the leader of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky.

Officially, Moscow still recognizes the terrorial integrity of Moldova and therefore sees the breakaway region of Transnistria as a part of Moldova.

But Russia de facto controls the region, and uses it as a political and military tool against Chisinau and in the extended region, including Ukraine, which it borders.

Moldova's Foreign Ministry has yet to take up an official position on the latest developments.

However, Moldova has in the past repeatedly expressed concern over the potential decision of the Russian authorities to let a representative office of the Transnistrian region open in Moscow.

In 2017, Transnistria briefly opened a similar office in Moscow. It was run by Aleksandr Karaman, who had previously served as Foreign Minister of the Donetsk People's Republic, a breakaway part of eastern Ukraine.

In 2017 and 2018, the Moldova government and Tiraspol negotiated a series of economic and concessions. However, Moldovan analysts considered them far more convenient for Transnistria than for Chisinau.

Moreover, despite gaining some economic advantages, Tiraspol...