Russian-Run Enclave Looks to Moscow Amid Tensions With Next-Door Moldova

Lying between the Dniester River and Moldova’s border with Ukraine, Transnistria has long been seen as a potential flashpoint for conflict.

The Russian Foreign Ministry headquarters is seen next to one of the towers of the Kremlin in Moscow on March 15, 2023. Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

Transnistria, a Russian-administered enclave that straddles parts of the Dniester River, requested Moscow’s support last week amid growing tensions with Moldova’s pro-Western government.

Only 1,600 square miles in size, Transnistria is internationally recognized as part of Moldova.