Drone reportedly hits military base in Russian-controlled Transnistria

A drone hit a military base in Transnistria, in the Russian-controlled region of Moldova, local Telegram channel "Pervyi Prydnestrovskyi" claimed on March 17.

"Today, a fire broke out on the territory of one of the military bases in Tiraspol, as a result of an explosion," it claimed, adding that preliminary data suggested the kamikaze drone had attacked the base.

The Telegram channel also claimed the drone's flight was "detected" north of Tiraspol, near the Ukrainian border.

The Telegram channel also published a video allegedly showing a helicopter being hit by a drone. The Kyiv Independent couldn't independently verify the claim.

What danger does Transnistria pose to Ukraine, Moldova?

When there was no mention of Transnistria — Moldova’s Russia-led breakaway region — in Vladimir Putin’s speech on Feb. 29, Moldovans sighed with relief. A day prior, the leaders of the unrecognized breakaway entity, sandwiched between Ukraine and Moldova, had asked Russia for “protection” — a plea…

The Kyiv IndependentPaula Erizanu

Transnistria borders Ukraine's Odesa Oblast and is internationally recognized as part of Moldova. Russian troops have occupied Transnistria since the early 1990s when Russia invaded the region under the pretext of protecting ethnic Russians.

Concerns around Transnistria arose earlier in February after news emerged that local authorities asked Russia for "protection."

Russia’s Foreign Ministry said that Moscow would "consider with attention" the appeal of authorities from the Moscow-controlled Moldovan region of Transnistria for "protection."

Media: 12 Russian oil refineries successfully hit in recent attacks by Ukraine

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) drones have recently successfully attacked 12 oil refineries in Russia, a source told Ukrainska Pravda, including an overnight attack on March 17 of an oil refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban in Krasnodar Krai.

The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent news desk