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Reports about buildup of peacekeeper forces in Transdniestria denied

TIRASPOL, March 21. /ITAR-TASS/. Reports about the buildup of peacekeeper forces in Transdniestria were denied by Vasily Korchmar, the co-chair from Russia in the Joint Control Commission for the peacekeeper operation in Transdniestria.

“The peacekeepers perform their duties in the security zone of the Dniester conflict in a routine mode. The Joint Control Commission made no decision to reinforce them. These are inventions,” Korchmar told reporters.

Peace and stability in the divide zone along the Dniester are maintained by joint peacekeeper forces consisting of the military contingents of Russia (402 servicemen), Moldova (355), Transdniestria (492) and a group of Ukrainian military observers consisting of ten officers.

Nina Shtanski, the foreign minister of the unrecognized republic, said earlier that the Ukrainian side started blocking the passage of trains with loads for the needs of Russian peacekeepers. Men holding Russian passports are not permitted to cross the border. Some 200,000 Russian citizens reside in Transdniestria, she noted.

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