Possible 'false flag' attacks in separatist Moldovan region of Transnistria raises concerns Russia plans to expand conflict

Possible "false flag" attacks in the Russian-backed separatist Moldovan territory of Transnistria this week have raised concerns of a new front opening in the conflict.

Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said the attacks reminded him of similar attacks at the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of destabilising the separatist region.

"We clearly understand that this is one of the Russian steps," Mr Zelenskyy said.

He said the Kremlin would seek to "threaten" Moldova if it showed support for Ukraine.

His comments followed similar concerns from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry about the tensions in the Moscow-backed region.

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Explosions rocked Transnistria earlier on Tuesday, which police said knocked out two powerful radio antennas and other facilities in the region, close to the Ukrainian border.

On Monday, several explosions were reported to have hit the Ministry of State Security in Tiraspol, the region's capital.

The attacks follow a Russian officer's statement about Moscow's intention to fully take control of Ukraine's south, as well as its east, so as to open a land corridor to Transnistria to the west.

No-one claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Ukraine all but blamed Russia.

The Latvian Foreign Minister said he was "very worried" by the explosions on Tuesday, adding it reminded him of what happened in the Donbas region at the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in late February.

"I remember before February 21, there have been some series of 'false flag' operations in Donbas region, so-called people republics, that were used as the pretext by Russia to recognise and then to sign the so-called friendship and assistance treaties and then to start the military operation," Mr Rinkevics told reporters in Madrid.

"I'm very worried about the current trend in Trans-Dniester [Transnistria] because that resembles a little bit that pattern that we have seen."

In a statement on Tuesday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said Ukraine "resolutely supports Moldova's territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and condemns attempts to draw the Transnistria region of Moldova into the full-fledged war unleashed by Russia against Ukraine and call for de-escalating tensions".

The 200-kilometre-long slither of land between Moldova and Ukraine, with a population of about 470,000 — 30 per cent of whom are ethnically Russian — nominally seceded from Moldova in 1990, one year before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

They feared Moldova might shortly merge with Romania, whose language and culture it broadly shares.

The separatist region fought a brief war with Moldova in 1992 and declared itself an independent state, though it remains unrecognised by any country, including Russia, which bases about 1,500 troops there, calling them peacekeepers.

Concerns are high that those forces could be used to invade Ukraine from the west.

Mr Zelenskyy alleged those forces were "waiting for an order", but added Ukrainian soldiers were "prepared for them and are not afraid of them."

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The UN said Secretary-General António Guterres was concerned about reports of new security incidents in the region "and urges all concerned to refrain from any statements or actions that could escalate tensions".

UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said on Tuesday that Mr Guterres called for efforts to lower tensions throughout Transnistria.

Mr Haq said the UN continues to fully support efforts by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to reach a political settlement of the Transnistria conflict.

The aim is to strengthen Moldova's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, with a special status for Transnistria.

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AP/ABC