Russia warns Moldova, Ukraine against armed provocations in Transnistria

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin said on Monday that Moscow would regard any armed provocations by Ukraine and Moldova against Transnistria as an attack on Russia and would use all available means to protect Russian citizens in the breakaway region.

Speaking in an interview with state news agency TASS, Galuzin said currently Moscow sees the risks as low.

"At present, we assess the risks of direct armed provocations by Kyiv and the Moldovan authorities against Transnistria as low. At the same time, they cannot be completely ruled out," he said.

The diplomat warned that Moscow would consider any such actions an attack on Russia under international law and respond "decisively and promptly."

"To ensure reliable protection of the Russians in Transnistria, the Operational Group of Russian Forces and our peacekeepers, we will undoubtedly use all available means," he said. "We are ready for any development of events," he added.

Moscow maintains a presence of peacekeepers and personnel of the Operational Group of Russian Forces in Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova that borders Ukraine.

The warning comes amid heightened tensions between Moscow and Chisinau. Moldova has accused Russia of violating its sovereignty in connection with recent drone incidents, while Moscow has repeatedly criticized what it describes as Chisinau's increasingly anti-Russian policies.

On Sunday, Moldovan police reported that a drone fell and exploded in the village of Crocmaz, in the Stefan Voda district near the Ukrainian border. No injuries were reported. Moldovan authorities described the incident as a violation of the country's sovereignty and recalled their ambassador in Moscow for consultations.

Russia has said "hostile and provocative" actions by Chisinau against Russian diplomats and officials will receive an appropriate response, Galuzin said.

"All these hostile actions, taking into account the principle of reciprocity, have received and will continue to receive adequate responses," he stressed.

The official said Moldova had increasingly taken hostile steps against Russian diplomats and officials since "the coming to power of pro-Western, anti-Russian forces in 2020-2021."

Among such steps he mentioned are quotas on the number of employees at the Russian Embassy, expulsion of Russian diplomats, and restrictive measures against Russian diplomatic couriers and officials from crossing the Moldovan border.