Russian military presence in Transnistria

The Russian Federation maintains an unknown number of soldiers in Transnistria, an unrecognized breakaway state internationally recognized as part of Moldova. This Russian military presence dates back to 1992, when the 14th Guards Army intervened in the Transnistria War in support of the Transnistrian separatist forces. Following the end of the war, which ended in a Russian-backed Transnistrian victory and in the de facto independence of the region, the Russian forces stayed in a purportedly peacekeeping mission and reorganized in 1995 into the Operational Group of Russian Forces (OGRF), currently guarding the Cobasna ammunition depot. Some other Russian soldiers also participate in the Joint Control Commission between Moldova, Russia and Transnistria since 1992.

The Government of Moldova currently views the presence of Russian troops in Moldova as illegitimate and has repeatedly called for their withdrawal and replacement by international forces. Russia, however, has opposed this. On 15 March 2022, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe recognized Transnistria as Moldovan territory occupied by Russia.^[1]