KIEV, February 24. /TASS/. Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said on Friday that Ukraine has no plans to deploy its troops to Transnistria because he considers it a part of Moldova.

"We respect Moldova’s territorial integrity and think that Transnistria is part of independent Moldova," he said, commenting on the Russian defense ministry’s statement that Ukraine is plotting an invasion of the unrecognized republic of Transnistria.

The Russian defense ministry said earlier that Kiev was plotting to stage a provocation against Transnistria using its armed forces and the Azov nationalist unit (banned in Russia). The ministry said it was keeping a close eye on the situation on Ukraine’s border with Transnistria and was ready to react to any changes in the situation. Moldova’s government did not confirm these reports and called on people to stay calm.