Russian soldiers patrol illegally security zone of Moldova

Chisinau, 15 August /MOLDPRES/ – The Delegation of Moldova to Joint Control Commission (CUC) signals a new case of illegal presence in Security Zone (ZS) of operative group of Russian troops (GOTR), the office for reintegration policy’s information and media communication service has reported.

Related to military applications deployed illegally on the left bank of the Dniester river, in area of ​​ Tarnauca village and near pedestrian bridge over the Dniester in Tiraspol city, chief of the Peacekeeping Forces of Moldova and representatives of OSCE Mission to Moldova went on site, on the morning of 15 August, as  to monitor the situation on this segment of ZS. Although they were driving cars with symbol of Pacific Forces and OSCE, near the place where there were carried out recent applications, they were stopped by a "military patrol" made up of seven persons with no belonging sign, which blocked their movement. In discussion, patrol members admitted that they belonged to GOTR. After a period of about 30 minutes, enough to hide other possible military presence in the area, the patrol retreated, and the Moldovan chief of military staff from Moldova together with representatives of OSCE Mission to Moldova continued their move on the ground, and were able to find out the real situation.

The GOTR military patrol was in Unsafe ZS without the consent or coordination with CUC and Joint Military Command (CMI).

These actions of GOTR, which continue series of violations of established mechanism for monitoring the situation and ensuring regime in ZS, as well as that of peacekeeping mission, can be qualified only as a repeated challenge that generates new tensions in ZS.

The delegation of Moldova to CUC urges strongly all components of Commission to abide by regime obligations in ZS on banks of the Dnieter river arising from Agreement on principles of peaceful regulation of military conflict in the Transnistrian region of Moldova signed on 21 July 1992.