CHISINAU, March 1. /TASS/. A necessary step is to tighten security at the Cobasna ammunition depots in Transnistria, which are guarded by the Operational Group of Russian Forces, former Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin said on national television on Wednesday, commenting on the media reports about a potential attack on the unrecognized republic from Ukraine.
"Transnistria must not be touched categorically, those depots must not be touched either. On the contrary, the protection of those depots should be bolstered, security measures should be tightened. Transnistria cannot be provoked into doing anything extraordinary," Voronin said.
Russian peacekeepers were deployed to Transnistria in conformity with the 'Agreement on the Principles for a Peaceful Settlement of the Armed Conflict in the Transnistrian Region of the Republic of Moldova’ as of July 21, 1992. The move helped to stop hostilities then and to maintain peace in the region by Russian, Moldovan and Transnistrian peacekeepers over the past 30 years.
Apart from that, the Operational Group of Russian Forces of around 1,000 soldiers and officers is stationed in the unrecognized republic to ensure the security of ammunition depots that store more than 20,000 tons of obsolete munitions. These troops also support the peacekeepers who have found themselves literally in a blockade after Ukraine had blocked their supply routes through its territory. Last spring, Transnistria faced a series of terrorist attacks. Firstly, the building of the State Security Ministry was shelled with a hand grenade launcher. Secondly, the antennas of one the largest regional radio and television centers were blown up in the village of Mayak. Finally, fire was opened on the depots in Cobasna. Transnistrian President Vadim Krasnoselsky declared the state of a terrorist threat and said that the sabotage was orchestrated from the territory of Ukraine.