21 Apr 2014

Ukraine Crisis: Reflections on a Dress Rehearsal: Moldova – Transdniestria.


Dispatches from TIRASPOL, April 16-2014/ITAR-TASS/:
—Ukraine is becoming concerned over Transdniestria’s calls for independence —

—Transdniestrian authorities ask Putin to initiate recognition of republic’s independence. A majority of 97% voted in 2006 to join Russia Proper. —

—Russian President Vladimir Putin proposes to intensify dialogue on the future of Transdniestria —

A Russian separatist from Tiraspol, capital of the breakaway
region Transdniestria, pictured on an APC during the 1992
conflict with the former Soviet republic of Moldova.
Image from the series Post Communism 1989-2003
 — “This is one of the most complicated problems we’ve inherited after the collapse of the USSR—
—It has a population of over half a million. People are very pro-Russian and there are a very large number of Russian nationals—

—Armed Ukrainian Nationalist formations have already been deployed to the border with Transdniestria by Kiev. The situation should certainly be stopped as soon as possible,” the Russian president said—   ……..ends

This is not the first call to Moscow authorities for recognition but Crimea’s re-unification with Russia has now intensified the issue.
Tiraspol lawmakers claim Transdniestria is legally similar to Crimea and that any process towards reunification with Russia should follow the peninsula’s recent process and procedures.


History of the 1992 conflict:
The Transdniestrian conflict started in March 1992. The first clashes occurred between Moldovan police and Transdniestrian militia near the city of Dubossary, which resulted in armed hostilities. By that summer, it developed into large-scale fighting around the former Soviet closed city of Bendery. About a thousand people were killed with tens of thousands made refugees.

The conflict was stopped after a peace agreement was signed in Moscow in July 1992 with Russian peacekeepers sent into the conflict area.


Situation Today 2014:

Many Moldovans, especially the elderly, are moving eastwards into Transdniestria, prompted by lower energy costs, security and higher pensions.  

Recently, Several hundred people from the front line pro-Russian village of Dorotskoye, (situated on the left bank of the Dniester river but under Moldovan authority), are suggesting holding a referendum on accession to join the breakaway right bank Transdniestria region.

Outcomes:

In the following Spring/Summer weeks Kremlin confidence will surely expand, and why not! Who in the West can attempt to stop a society voting to re-join a re-surging Russia!
Moldova was impoverished because it failed to anticipate western intransigence when it comes to dealing with the Bear. It separated itself from Russian industry and influence.
Ukraine faces the same painful outcomes to this EU fuelled crisis.
Russia will take back its Soviet era loaned resources to former Republics, leaving outer buffer zones of poor lands between itself and the West.


Lands no-one wants or cares enough about to either finance or annex.