Is Ukraine about to invade Transnistria – or NATO about to invade Kaliningrad?

It looks like Ukraine is rattling its sabres on its western border.

The territory – a self-proclaimed independent state with ties to Russia – which has around 1,500 Russian peace-keeping troops permanently stationed with lots of weapons – is called Transnistria.

Here are a few links to its backstory:

 Transnistria profile - BBC News

Transnistria - Wikipedia

Brave AI describes it thus:

1         “Transnistria Separation from Moldova

Based on the provided search results, Transnistria is a breakaway region within Moldova that has been de facto independent since the Moldovan civil war in 1992. It has its own government, parliament, and military, and is recognized diplomatically only by two Russian separatist states: Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Transnistria declared independence from Moldova in 1990, citing fears of a potential union with Romania. The region has since maintained a close relationship with Russia, with Russian troops stationed in the area as a “peacekeeping force” since the early 1990s.

Although Transnistria is internationally recognized as part of Moldova, it has effectively functioned as a separate entity, with its own economy, education system, and language (Russian being the primary language spoken). The region has also held its own elections and has a distinct identity.

However, Moldova’s government and international community consider Transnistria to be a separatist region and a part of Moldova’s territory. The European Union, for example, advises against all travel to Transnistria due to its lack of control and the presence of Russian military activity.

In summary, while Transnistria is not recognized as a sovereign state by most of the international community, it has de facto independence and operates as a separate entity from Moldova, with close ties to Russia.”

Apparently, Transnistria is being eyed by Zelensky as propaganda tool. There have been no reports of the Russian “garrison” based in Transnistria attacking Ukraine forces I the west of Ukraine as Ukraine fights along its 700-mile eastern front.

Russia has another enclave smack bank in the middle of a lot of hostile NATO countries – Kaliningrad.

Kaliningrad Oblast - Wikipedia

There were some mutterings of hostile actions at the start of the Russia/Ukraine war by neighbouring countries, especially Lithuania (with its large minority, pro-Russia speaking population) but reports of hostilities are few and far between these days.

Maybe the uneasy peace/truce is about to come to an end.

One wonders, as the Russian offensive grinds on, just what is left of the land Russia now occupies and what it has bombed into oblivion, what is the strategic Russian objective? To reduce the entirety of Ukraine to a wasteland of rubble for as long as Ukraine continues fighting for the territory it has lost?

One also wonders how the breakaway states are faring. Are they being rebuilt to some sort of modern state or does life just go on amongst a lack of all the usual “civilized amenities” like food and gadget product markets, with access to power, water, telecoms, tech etc?

Onwards!!!

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