Transnistria

Transnistria is located between the Dniester River and the Moldova–Ukraine border, controlling a narrow strip of land. The capital and largest city of Transnistria is Tiraspol. The region is recognized by Moldova as the Administrative-Territorial Units of the Left Bank of the Dniester.

The origins of Transnistria can be traced back to the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (MASSR), established in 1924 within the Ukrainian SSR. The area underwent significant changes during World War II, leading to the creation of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1940. In 1990, amidst the Soviet Union's dissolution, the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic was declared, aiming to remain within the Soviet Union amid fears of Moldova's potential unification with Romania.

A military conflict erupted between Transnistria and Moldova in March 1992, concluding with a ceasefire in July of the same year. This ceasefire led to the establishment of a Joint Control Commission involving Moldova, Russia, and Transnistria, along with a trilateral peacekeeping force.

Transnistria operates as a de facto independent semi-presidential republic, possessing its own government, military, and currency. Despite its unrecognized status, most residents hold Moldovan citizenship, with many also having Russian, Romanian, or Ukrainian citizenship. The population is primarily composed of Russians, Moldovans (Romanians), and Ukrainians.

Transnistria is categorized as a post-Soviet 'frozen conflict' zone, alongside Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and maintains friendly relations with these regions. In March 2022, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a resolution designating the territory as under military occupation by Russia.