Russia Hopes to Avoid Intervention In Transnistria Conflict, Deputy Foreign Minister Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow hopes that Transnistria will not be drawn into the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, so that there is no need to intervene in resolving the situation, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko said.

"Let's wait until the investigation is over. We would like to avoid such a scenario," Rudenko said, answering the question of what Moscow will do if Transnistria is drawn into the Ukrainian conflict.

He added that it is too early to say who is responsible for the terrorist attacks in Transnistria before the investigation is over.

Rudenko stressed that the Transnistria situation is "very difficult," so the introduction of a state of emergency in the region is "quite reasonable."

In Transnistria, 60% of the population are Russians and Ukrainians. The region intended to secede from Moldova even before the collapse of the Soviet Union amid fears that Moldova could integrate with Romania. In 1992, after a failed attempt by the Moldovan authorities to solve the issue by force, Transnistria became a territory de facto not controlled by Kishinev.