Transnistria War

According to the Voice of America, for almost 30 years, the army of Moldova was underfunded. Also, Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe. They declared themselves a militarily neutral state after gaining independence in 1991. However, the number of its soldiers constantly decreased and fell to around 6,000 soldiers.

Just half an hour's drive from Ukraine's southern border, hundreds of Russian soldiers are guarding a large ammunition depot in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria.
This warehouse, these soldiers and this pro-Russian separatist region have been under increasing global surveillance in recent days, Slobodna Dalmacija reports, citing BBC.

Moldova's pro-Western President Maia Sandu said on Wednesday that she does not understand why Russia imposed a new embargo on Moldovan fruits on August 15, as her country's goods meet EU quality standards that are higher than Russian standards.

Russia has indicated it hopes to clear a path through southern Ukraine to Transnistria, injecting new urgency to a long-term plan to overhaul and beef up Moldova's armed forces.

Russian deputies have condemned the joint decision of Moldova and Ukraine to compel all vehicles in the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria to re-register with "neutral" platers if they want to cross into Ukraine through the Cuciurgan customs point from September 1, 2021.

Russia is increasing its engagement in Transnistria in response to Moldova's pro-Western tilt, experts say.

Moldovan Prime Minister Pavel Filip on Thursday said that compulsory military service will be gradually abolished by 2021, as Moldova makes the switch to a purely professional army.

Russian troops in the Moldovan breakaway region of Transnistria began their third yearly joint military games on Wednesday with the local separatist troops, angering the government in Chisinau.

Moldova's Security and Intelligence Service, SIS, told BIRN that it has identified 62 persons from the country as taking part in mercenary activities in Ukraine since Russia's annexation of Crimea in March 2014 and in the conflict in the Eastern Ukraine between Ukrainian and pro-Russian separatist forces.

Franco Frattini, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office's Special Representative for the Transdniestrian Settlement Process, said on Tuesday that Moldova and breakaway Transnistria must be ready to implement all their bilateral agreements by May as a precursor to possible progress on a Russian troop withdrawal from Transnistria.