Pro-Russian Separatists in Moldova Claim Drone Attack on Transnistrian Base; HUR Dismisses the Claim

A military base in Transnistria, a breakaway region of Moldova, was reportedly targeted by an explosive drone on Friday, April 5, according to pro-Russian separatists.

The incident, occurring in the district of Rybnitsa near the Ukraine border, resulted in minor damage to a radar station, with no reported injuries.

The Ministry for State Security in Transnistria issued a statement confirming the attack but stopped short of directly blaming Ukraine.

"Today at 1435 GMT, a kamikaze drone attacked a military base of the ministry of defence of the Transnistrian Moldovan Republic in the district of Rybnitsa, six kilometres from the Ukraine border," the ministry for state security in the self-declared breakaway region said in a communique. 

"The target was a radar station that suffered minor damage. A group of investigators is on-site," it added.

Meanwhile, Moldovan authorities stated they were analyzing all available information related to the purported attack.

Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukraine's Military Intelligence, has labelled the claims made by the breakaway region's authorities as "a deliberate provocation."

Speaking to "Suspilne" media, he said that Ukraine categorically denies any involvement in the incident, adding that Kyiv would not deploy valuable drones for such minor provocations.

"There are entities seeking to destabilize the region by purportedly preparing Transdnistria for an attack on Odesa. They spread panic and orchestrate provocations, but the situation is being closely monitored and remains under control."

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This recent event follows a similar claim made by Transnistria on March 17, alleging that a drone fired from Ukraine struck a military base in Tiraspol.

Moldova dismissed these claims as attempts to instigate panic, while Ukraine accused Russia of orchestrating the attack to destabilize Moldova.

Transnistria broke away from Moldova in 1992 after a brief conflict and has since been supported by Russia. Tensions in the region persist, with Moscow frequently accusing Moldova and Ukraine of planning assaults on Transnistria.

The breakaway region shares a border with Ukraine's Odesa region, where Russian forces failed to gain control during the early stages of their offensive in Ukraine.