Moldova separatists say Ukrainian plot against leader foiled
The Chisinau government says it is investigating the alleged incident as Kiev cites a Russian provocation.
Pro-Moscow separatists in Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova, say they foiled an assassination attempt on their leader, which they accuse Ukrainian security services of organizing.
Kiev dismissed the allegations on Thursday as a “provocation” from the Kremlin, the latest in a series of claims and counter-claims over the territory, which is wedged along Ukraine’s southwestern border with Moldova.
Moldova’s government says it is investigating an alleged “terrorist” attack in Transnistria.
“We have no confirmation of these things,” Prime Minister Dorin Recean told reporters. “The government is ready to deal with provocations.”
Russian state news agencies reported the alleged attempt on the life of Vadim Krasnoselsky. It was not immediately clear whether the Transnistrian officials had provided evidence to support their claim.
“A crime was being prepared against a number of officials by order of the security service of Ukraine,” Russia’s state news agency TASS was quoted as saying by the separatists. “The suspects have been arrested.”
In response, Ukraine’s security service said in a statement: “Lies and provocations are the weapons [Russia] actively used. But today the whole world sees the true face of the aggressor country and does not believe the statements of Russia or its satellites.”
A predominantly Russian-speaking region, Transnistria broke away from Moldova in 1990, a year before the breakup of the Soviet Union, and is dependent on Russian support.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine, there has been ongoing concern that the war could spread to Transnistria due to the region’s loyalty to Moscow and its location on Ukraine’s western border.
Last month, Russia accused Ukraine of planning to invade Transnistria after organizing a “false flag” operation there, a claim Kiev denied. Moldova also rejected Russia’s claim.
Moscow has said it will consider any action that threatens Russian forces in Transnistria as an attack on itself.