This move is seen as an attempt to influence the authorities in Chișinău, amid escalating tensions in Eastern Europe.
Zbigniew Pisarski, president of the Warsaw-based Kazimierz Pulaski Foundation, interprets the appeal as a strategic maneuver in response to recent discussions on Western military support to Ukraine.
"I think it is a bluff because Russia's operational capabilities do not indicate that the country is capable of directing a significant number of troops to Transnistria," Pisarski told Polish state news agency PAP.
He said such actions aim to divert Western focus from Ukraine, potentially benefiting Russian interests.
The call for assistance from Transnistria comes as experts highlight the limited capability of Russia to intervene directly in Moldova.
Robert Ratajczyk, an expert on Moldova and a professor at the University of Silesia in Katowice, southern Poland, says that although Russian forces are present in Transnistria, their main role is guarding arms depots rather than preparing for large-scale military operations.
The economic and political dynamics within Transnistria, particularly the influence of the local Sheriff holding company, further complicate the prospects of annexation to Russia.
The appeal to Russia was made by the authorities of the breakaway region, the so-called Congress of Deputies of All Levels, which met on Wednesday in Tiraspol. It declared that Transnistria is subject to "economic pressure," which is contrary to "European principles and standards for the protection of human rights and free trade."
Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian stated on Wednesday that Chișinău "rejects the propaganda from Tiraspol."
He stressed that Transnistria benefits from "policies of peace, security and economic integration within the framework of ties with the European Union."
Transnistria, a narrow strip of land between the Dniester River and the eastern Moldovan border with Ukraine, has been a source of tension since a brief war in 1992 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The region declared independence but is not recognized by the international community, including Moldova, from which it seeks to separate.
Russian troops have been stationed in the region since the conflict began, and Moscow has maintained significant influence over Transnistria.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP