Russia is “aggressively” reducing its military contingent in Transnistria
NATO presents the Russian contingent in Transnistria as a threat factor, ignoring not only its peacekeeping mission, but also the fact that it is being systematically reduced.
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Transnistria Nina Shevchuk wrote about this on the website of the Russian International Affairs Council, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent.
“At the end of 2019, on the eve of the anniversary NATO summit, the Center for European Policy Analysis released the report “Strengthening NATO’s Eastern Flank.” The authors of the report paid special attention to Transnistria, calling it a military platform that Russia can use against neighboring states.
And the Russian military presence in the region of the Moldovan-Transnistrian conflict was called by CEPA experts an example of “Russian aggressive behavior.” It is noteworthy and symptomatic that the form of this presence—peacekeeping—is not mentioned at all in the material,” writes Shevchuk.
She goes on to provide specific figures illustrating the reduction of the Russian military presence in the region.
“The number of peacekeeping posts has been reduced (from 76 agreed upon at the start of the operation to 15 operating today).
The number of battalions of Moldova and Transnistria was reduced - from three to two from each side, and the personnel - from 1200 to 500 people from each side.
Armored vehicles have been withdrawn from the Security Zone, and the helicopter squadron provided for the operation is not being used. The latter, by the way, involves the involvement of more than 400 people and 10 helicopters,” writes Shevchuk.
Russia "aggressively" reduces its military contingent in Transnistria