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Transnistria, or the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, is a small country on the eastern banks of the Dniester river. PMR unilaterally declared independence from Moldavia in 1992, and a short but bloody civil war followed. The conflict was ended by the arrival of the 14th Russian Army, commanded by Alexander Lebed, which quickly crushed the pro-moldavian forces and in effect enabling the independence forces to conquer power. Ever since, Transnistria has been a de facto independent nation, even though it is not recognized by any country in the United Nations.
Last year, in the spring of 2011, was election time. The ruling party Republika was sure of winning the election, as usual, but the Obnovleniye party had huge success with the pro-moldavian citizens and the election was a draw. Both sides quickly accused each other of rigging the elections or at least manipulating it, and the situation quickly spun out of control, leading to political violence between the pro-russian, leftwing Republika supporters and the anti-independence, rightwing Obnovleniye supporters who wish to reintegrate Transnistria into Moldavia.
As violence broke out and spread from the capital of Tiraspol into the countryside, the Transnistrian Army stepped in and usurped power, initiating a state of emergency and urgently seeking help from the United Nations in disarming the situation. The UN quickly accepted, and a peacekeeping initiative was drawn up, effectively splitting the country into three UN zones; one under the supervision of a multinational UN force (mostly consisting of Swedish, Norwegian, Pakistani and Estonian troops), one under NATO command and one under Russian command.
The UN presence in Transnistria has helped contain the violence to the big cities… for now. There has been a lull in the fighting for a few months, but whether this is an actual disarmament of the factions, or simply a time for the factions to regroup, rearm and plan new campaigns, is uncertain. Transnistria is still, maybe too still. Like the calm before the storm.
http://pop.milsim.se
Last year, in the spring of 2011, was election time. The ruling party Republika was sure of winning the election, as usual, but the Obnovleniye party had huge success with the pro-moldavian citizens and the election was a draw. Both sides quickly accused each other of rigging the elections or at least manipulating it, and the situation quickly spun out of control, leading to political violence between the pro-russian, leftwing Republika supporters and the anti-independence, rightwing Obnovleniye supporters who wish to reintegrate Transnistria into Moldavia.
As violence broke out and spread from the capital of Tiraspol into the countryside, the Transnistrian Army stepped in and usurped power, initiating a state of emergency and urgently seeking help from the United Nations in disarming the situation. The UN quickly accepted, and a peacekeeping initiative was drawn up, effectively splitting the country into three UN zones; one under the supervision of a multinational UN force (mostly consisting of Swedish, Norwegian, Pakistani and Estonian troops), one under NATO command and one under Russian command.
The UN presence in Transnistria has helped contain the violence to the big cities… for now. There has been a lull in the fighting for a few months, but whether this is an actual disarmament of the factions, or simply a time for the factions to regroup, rearm and plan new campaigns, is uncertain. Transnistria is still, maybe too still. Like the calm before the storm.
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