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Ukraine threatens Russian garrison in Transnistria, plus Russian stuff blowing up [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-06-03

Since 1992, Russia has maintained a garrison in the narrow strip of land between Moldova and Ukraine known as Transnistria under the pretext that it is protecting the ethnic Russian minority there.

That might be about to end.

Attending a European summit in the Moldovan capital of Chisinau, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered/threatened to attack the Russian garrison of about 1,500 and return Transnistria to Moldova.

This is an interesting development that makes you wonder what has changed recently, because the status quo has been maintained throughout the war with Russia.

First, Ukraine can’t just invade Transnistria since it is internationally recognized as Moldovan sovereign territory. They need Moldova to ask for help and so far Moldova hasn’t been willing to go there.

Moldova doesn't have much of a military to speak of. It has, for all these years, left things alone so as not to piss off the Russians. It has also had governments and factions that leaned toward Russia.

Now it has a West-leaning government -- that has had to contend with the possibility of a Russian-backed coup -- that is keen on joining the EU and getting off the bottom of Europe’s economic ladder. And the fact that the summit was held in Moldova says a lot about the EU’s interest in supporting Moldova.

But EU membership isn’t going to happen as long as the Transnistria issue is unresolved. Same with possible NATO membership down the road. So it might be time to bring things to a head.

One of the big risks of this is the massive ammunition depot in Cobasna, which is in the northern part of Transnistria. This is a leftover from the Soviet days and much of it is expired stuff and probably mostly just dangerous to handle.

It is one of, if not THE biggest ammo dumps in all of Europe, about 20k tons. If it were to all explode, it would make one hell of a crater. Fortunately it is more likely to cook off over several days but it would still be a threat to anything nearby.

Another risk is the possibility of the Russians in Transnistria shelling Chisinau.

One of the benefits of a successful operation to take Transnistria would be to allow Ukraine to redeploy its troops from the Transnistrian border.

x There are speculations about the Ukrainian Army being ready to restore Moldova’s territorial integrity by taking out the 1500 Russian soldiers stationed in Transnistria if a request comes from Moldova



Zelensky advises the Russians in Transnistria to flee if they want to live. pic.twitter.com/yib0Enr2b3 — Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 3, 2023

War criminal/blogger Igor Strelkov says that Transnistria is lost if Ukraine decides to move.

Transnistria. Girkin says that Transnistria is doomed, the "Ukrainian Nazis and Moldovan- excuse me, Romanian, nationalists can and will take it". Transnistria could have been taken as far back as last Summer, but Girkin believes that the Ukrainians refrained from attacking it as blackmail to ensure the Grain deal. However, in the long term, Transnistria and the Russian garrison there are doomed.

x Some interesting key points from Igor "Strelkov" Girkin's stream yesterday. Includes his usual pessimism and begging for mobilizations as well as commentary on Transnistria's fate and the events in Belgorod. pic.twitter.com/0MvU6CQY0n — StepanS🇮🇪🇺🇦⬜🟥⬜ (@S1epanS) June 3, 2023

The president of Moldova wasn’t too keen on Hungarian fascist wannabe PM Viktor Orban wanting to kiss her hand at the summit.

x Viktor Orbán, prime minister of Hungary, tried to kiss the hand of Moldova president Maia Sandu.



It was probably not the protocol? pic.twitter.com/YbueSPfdEs — Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) June 3, 2023

Makes you wish you were a fly on the wall for this conversation.

x Another close look at Zelensky in Moldova with UK PM Rishi Sunak, looking extremely anxious.



Earlier in a press conference, he told Russian troops occupying Transnistria in Moldova to leave if they want to survive.



Transnistria is the strip of land running the length of the… pic.twitter.com/FDugSgIVot — JP (@creatingpages) June 2, 2023

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The railyard near Melitopol was targeted by Ukraine.

x 🚨#Breaking, Mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, reports that the railway track near Dolyns'ke was blown up. It was used to transport Russian personnel and military equipment to the front, but not anymore.‼️🔥💥



Follow for more🍿👀 pic.twitter.com/R2bUWXEjqA — WarFrontline (@WarFrontline) June 3, 2023

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The port at Berdyansk on the Sea of Azov coast took a hammering from Storm Shadow.

x /2. An explosion in the port of Berdyansk from a different angle pic.twitter.com/i0jmhaMJD2 — Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) June 2, 2023

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The driver of the car that passed him is one lucky dude.

x Reportedly, a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system trying to escape from a Ukrainian kamikaze drone tries to shoot it down with a missile, then with an anti-aircraft gun but fails



Unknown date and location.

📹https://t.co/h1gZAcUCvM pic.twitter.com/ZUJp57guQ9 — Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) June 2, 2023

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Russia still doesn’t have control of the border region near Belgorod.

x The village of Sobolevka in the Bilhorod region is under fire. It's very close to Urazovo. pic.twitter.com/uCaBMt8WL4 — NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) June 2, 2023

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More careless smoking.

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This should put a dent in Swiss arms sales. Who will want to buy them if the Swiss are going to be assholes about transferring them?

x Genocide, shellings, kidnappings, tortures committed by russians are not sufficient arguments for Swiss to stop putting an equality mark btw us & terrorists. No,denying tools for rightful self-defense is not neutrality, Switzerland, it means siding w/ aggressor & it's disgusting pic.twitter.com/ehXLe6Y04O — Olena Halushka (@OlenaHalushka) June 2, 2023

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It’s Patron!

x The legend is here 🐶🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/s7WnNEAzW7 — MAKS 23 👀🇺🇦 (@Maks_NAFO_FELLA) June 2, 2023

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A reminder of the tragedy of Russia’s war.

x 9yo Viktoriya Ivashko whom russians killed yesterday, was a judoka. Just last weekend she took part in a sports competition and achieved her first victories, posted Ukraine's judo federation president. Such a bright beautiful soul 💔

Photo: Ukrinform pic.twitter.com/xLSeR2dpoz — Olena Halushka (@OlenaHalushka) June 2, 2023

x The 26-year-old poet and musician Danylo Podybailo has been killed in battle against the Russian Army near Bakhmut.



He also fought in the Battle of Kyiv and in the Kharkiv Offensive.



Rest in Peace Hero pic.twitter.com/zKTYfCSPyp — Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) June 2, 2023

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And finally, some notes of hope.

[END]
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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/6/3/2172821/-Ukraine-threatens-Russian-garrison-in-Transnistria-plus-Russian-stuff-blowing-up

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