Moldovan breakaway region appeals to Russia as a spat with the pro-Western government worsens

BY STEPHEN McGRATH and AUREL OBREJA
Associated Press

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — Officials in Moldova’s Russia-backed breakaway region of Transnistria have appealed to Moscow for protection Wednesday, as tensions escalate with the pro-Western government. Moldova, a candidate to join the European Union, imposed new customs duties at the start of the year on goods going in and out of Transnistria, which borders Ukraine and is not recognized by any United Nations member countries, including Russia which maintains close ties to the region. On Wednesday, members of the Transnistrian congress used a rare meeting to ask the Russian Duma to “implement measures for defending Transnistria,” pointing out that more than 220,000 Russian nationals live in the region. Russia stations about 1,500 troops in Transnistria the region as so-called peacekeepers.