01.12.2020, Moscow.
Russian peacekeepers in Transnistria are needed to prevent the possible resumption of the murderous conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a press conference on December 1.
Lavrov noted that Russian peacekeepers are in the conflict zone in Transnistria in accordance with the decisions of the “5 + 2” group, which are approved by the OSCE.
“They, first of all, solve the tasks of maintaining stability in this region, which is crucial in order to prevent any eruption of murderous conflict there,” Lavrov said.
The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that the Russian military protects the ammunition depots in Kolbasna in Transnistria. In his opinion, putting an end to control over the depots “is fraught with very serious incidents.”
Transnistria is an unrecognized republic bordering Moldova and Ukraine. The Transnistrian Moldovan Republic declared independence from the Moldovan SSR in 1990. After Moldova tried to solve the Transnistrian problem by military force in 1992, the republic completely separated from it. To avoid armed confrontation, Russian peacekeepers are stationed in Transnistria.
On November 30, the new Moldovan president Maia Sandu announced that an operational group of Russian soldiers protecting the arms depots should be withdrawn from Transnistria. Instead of the peacekeepers, she suggested leaving civilian observers under OSCE auspices.
Source: Rossa Primavera News Agency
