Officials in Moldova’s Russia-backed breakaway region of Transnistria have appealed to Moscow for protection as tensions escalate with the pro-Western governmentMoldovan breakaway region appeals to Russia as a spat with the pro-Western government worsensBy STEPHEN MCGRATH Associated Press and AUREL OBREJA Associated PressCHISINAU, Moldova -- Officials in Moldova’s Russia-backed breakaway region of Transnistria appealed to Moscow for protection Wednesday, as tensions escalate with the pro-Western government. A short war in the early 1990s led pro-Russia forces in Transnistria to declare a breakaway state. To this day, Russia stations about 1,500 troops in the region as so-called peacekeepers, who guard huge Soviet-era weapons and ammunition stockpiles. But the new customs duties leveled on Transnistria have angered officials there, who say the measures harm local residents and businesses. ___This story has been corrected to show that the 2006 referendum was held in Transnistria, not in Moldova as a whole.

Source: ABC News February 28, 2024 19:19 UTC