Ukraine and Moldova concentrating troops near border: president of Transnistria

Ukraine is increasing the military presence on the border with Transnistria. Timer, a local newspaper, writes referring to the Defense Ministry of Ukraine, S-300 air defense systems will be deployed in the south of the country on the border with Transnistria shortly.

The ministry says the S-300 air defense systems will protect the country’s south in Odessa region, on the border with the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic (TMR), the source reports specifying that the missile systems are not new, they have been repaired and partially modernized at the request of Ukroboronprom, a Ukrainian state defense enterprise.

“Ukraine will be restoring the legal order on the engagement line shortly. The cross border illegal traffic of drugs and weapons will bring nothing good to the country. There is a president-initiated project that will provide more funds to strengthen the border,”  Novosti Odessy quotes Odessa Governor Mikheil Saakahvili as saying.

President of Transnistria Yevgeny Shevchuk held a meeting of the Security Council  over the situation around the country. According to the president’s press-office, Shevchuk focused on the defense capacity issues.

“At present, we have no information on a direct military threat,” Shevchuk said. “Yet, we can see concentration of additional forces and equipment by Ukraine near the borders as well as active training of  Moldovan troops with participation of western specialists.”

Yevgeny Shevchuk said the administration receives numerous alarms from citizens. He blamed the media for fueling the situation. “All the power agencies, including the military one, function as normal,” he said.

The Transnistria leader stressed the peaceful nature of Transnistria's foreign policy and defense doctrine, saying they hope Chisinau and Kiev will understand that.

EADaily reported earlier, the Operative Group of the Russian Troops deployed in Transnistria held joint exercises with the intelligence officers of the defense ministry of the unrecognized republic. The Russian and Transnistrian troops practiced countering attack aircraft and lightly armored vehicles under simulated battlefield conditions.