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Moldova sees no escalation risk from terror plot reports in Transnistria — prime minister

"It is important that the Republic of Moldova is in a stable situation, and at peace," Dorin Recean said a news briefing

CHISINAU, March 9. /TASS/. The Moldovan government has no information about preparations for terrorist attacks in Transnistria and believes that there is no threat of any escalation of the situation in the region, Prime Minister Dorin Recean told a news briefing on Thursday.

"We have no confirmation of these things. It is important that the Republic of Moldova is in a stable situation, and at peace. There is no threat of an escalation and there are no risks of any problems in the region," Recean said, adding that Moldova’s bureau for reintegration of the republic also had previously reported having no relevant information. The bureau also urged that information be obtained from official Moldovan sources.

Earlier, the Ministry of State Security of the unrecognized republic said it had thwarted a terrorist attack against several Transnistrian officials. According to preliminary findings, the attack was planned on instructions from Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU). The perpetrators’ plan was to detonate a car bomb, packed with 8 kilograms of hexogen, as well as screws and nuts, in the center of Tiraspol so as to strike as many people as possible. Two plotters are reported to have been detained.

In April 2022, Transnistria was rocked by a series of terrorist attacks, beginning with the shelling of the State Security Ministry building with grenade launchers. Then, broadcasting antennas were blown up at one of the region’s largest radio and television centers, in the village of Mayak. Attacks were also carried out on military airfields near Tiraspol and Rybnitsa, as well as against the Transnistrian peacekeeping contingent and the premises of an arsenal near the village of Kolbasna, which serves as a depot for storing roughly 20,000 tons of ammunition. No one was hurt during these attacks.

Earlier, Transnistrian President Vadim Krasnoselsky stated that the sabotage had been masterminded from Ukrainian territory. He also blamed the Moldovan secret services for an attempted arson attack on a military enlistment office in Tiraspol. After the attacks, Transnistria instituted the maximum terrorist threat level. On May 25, it was downgraded from red to yellow and remains in effect to date.