EU Mulls Military Support To Moldova As Russia Accused Of 'Provocations' In Breakaway Transnistria

"For much of the past two weeks Russia and Ukraine have exchanged accusations over a series of unexplained explosions in the Transnistria region, which is host to some 1,500 Russian "peacekeeping" troops (most of which are said to be Transnistrian separatists holding Russian passports). Ukraine's defense ministry called the destabilizing incidents a "planned provocation" designed to justify a greater Russian military intervention.

Internationally recognized as part of Moldova, the breakaway republic of Transnistria has population of nearly 500,000 - but is seen by some Western analysts as potentially serving as a launching point for Russian destabilizing action against Moldova. Russia's troop presence there goes all the way back to 1992 in support of the separatists.

And now on Wednesday it seems the region is coming more and more into the spotlight related to the war across the border in Ukraine, given the European Union says it is now exploring options for ramping up military support to Moldova. Moldova has just an estimated 6,000 regular forces in its military." ZH