TIRASPOL, August 12, 0:42 /ITAR-TASS/. Transdniestria, a breakaway region of Moldova, is ready to repel any armed aggression, the unrecognised republic’s leader Yevgeny Shevchuk said on Monday.

“Transdniestria’s security forces are ready to repel any armed aggression,” he said and noted “increased information pressure” on the republic, which, in his opinion, is whipping up tensions among people.

Shevchuk also said that all government agencies were working as usual and the republic was “not preparing to attack its neighbours”.

Kiev officials earlier accused Transdniestria of preparing subversive groups and conducting reconnaissance in Ukraine.

In late July, Ukraine’s border guard service started digging a 3.5-m deep moat along the 450-km stretch of the border with Transdniestria to prevent possible invasion and smuggling.

Transdniestria’s security forces said they had intelligence reports indicating that armed provocations on the border with Ukraine were being prepared. The sides also accused each other of shooting in the border-lying regions.