TIRASPOL, May 5. /TASS/. The head of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky, dismissed as a provocation claims that Russian peacekeepers deployed to the unrecognized republic may launch an offensive there.

"Any person with knowledge of the situation with peacekeepers in Transnistria understands perfectly well that they largely have no offensive weapons. And how can there be an offensive without offensive weapons?" Krasnoselsky asked rhetorically. "These [peacekeeping] troops are there for protective purposes and they perform exactly those functions," he told TASS in an interview. According to him, "all these allegations that we are planning an offensive over there are actually a blatant provocation." The Transnistrian leader expressed his hope that the general staffs in other countries, including Ukraine, prioritize common sense over emotions.

Russian peacekeepers were introduced into the armed conflict zone following the signing of an agreement with Moldova on July 21, 1992, for the peaceful settlement of the Transnistrian conflict. Currently, the Russian military works alongside the blue helmets of Moldova and Transnistria to maintain peace in the region. The operation is unique as there has not been a single bout of violence ever since, nor have people been killed in the region.

The Operational Group of Russian Forces (OGRF), consisting of around 1,000 troops and officers, is stationed on the left bank of the Dniester River. Its primary task is to guard warehouses storing over 20,000 tons of ammunition that remained after the withdrawal of Soviet troops from European countries. Additionally, the OGRF supports peacekeepers who have been effectively blockaded since 2015, after Ukraine blocked their supply routes through its territory. The rotation of OGRF personnel has also been hindered by Moldova, which is pushing for their withdrawal.

Chisinau insists on the withdrawal of the OGRF and proposes replacing the peacekeepers with a civilian mission under an international mandate. However, Tiraspol opposes this idea, pointing out that a similar mission was unable to prevent fighting in 1992, which resulted in over 1,000 deaths and tens of thousands of injuries.