Foreign Ministry: military presence in Transnistria is not an end in itself for Russia

The military presence in the unrecognized Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) is not an end in itself for Russia, declared in an interview with RIA Novosti, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Galuzin.

“Our military presence in the region is not an end in itself, but even today, despite the limited number, Russian peacekeepers remain the only real factor guaranteeing peace and tranquility in the region,” he said.

Commenting in an interview statement head of the PMR Vadim Krasnoselsky, who, against the backdrop of the risk of the conflict in Ukraine going beyond the borders of this country, said that “through Pridnestrovie there is a direct path to a world war,” Galuzin noted that this statement is “figurative”.

“At the same time, his assessment reflects concern about the difficult security situation that is developing around the region. It really causes concern and is fraught with further aggravation,” the Deputy Minister emphasized.

Galuzin also noted that the situation around the Transnistrian settlement is complicated. “I am sure that maintaining stability on the Dniester meets the common goals of all interested parties, to which Russia is ready to further contribute as a guarantor and mediator,” he added.

In early May, the head of the Pridnestrovie’s representative office in the Russian Federation, Leonid Manakov declaredthat the Transnistrian authorities are asking Moscow to increase the number of Russian peacekeepers in the unrecognized republic.

He recalled that Russia in 1995 reduced the contingent to two motorized rifle battalions, initially there were six. According to Manakov, now there are no more than 450 Russian peacekeepers in the security zone, while according to the staff established by the documents of the Joint Control Commission, 3,100 people are supposed to be. There is an option to increase the peacekeeping contingent, and it is “justified from the point of view of worsening security risks, including the terrorist threat.” In addition, the continent can be enlarged at the expense of the Russians living in the republic, the diplomat added.

In February, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said that he intended to seek the withdrawal of the Russian military from the territory of the unrecognized Transnistrian Republic and seek its “demilitarization.” Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov, commenting on Rechan’s speech on February 20, noted the tension in relations between Russia and Moldova. According to him, the republic’s authorities are “sliding into anti-Russian hysteria” and the lack of constructivism on the part of Chisinau harms bilateral relations.

At the end of March, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov declaredthat Russia is responsible for security in Transnistria “in full accordance with the mandate” that the Russian military has. “We will be guided by this mandate,” the politician stressed. The Ukrainian leadership “in every possible way” demonstrates its readiness to intervene in the situation in Transnistria, Lavrov said.

Russian peacekeepers have been in Transnistria since 1992, they were brought in to end the armed conflict between Chisinau and Tiraspol.