A kamikaze drone has attacked a military base in Tiraspol, the capital of the unrecognized republic of Transnistria, the press service for the region’s security ministry told RIA Novosti. The Sunday incident reportedly caused a fire but resulted in no casualties.
Tiraspol is the capital of the unrecognized republic of Transnistria, an unrecognized republic that split from Moldova in the early 1990s.
According to TASS, a military airfield was targeted in the attack. A helicopter stationed at the airfield was destroyed by the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the news agency added.
The de facto authorities in Transnistria have so far not commented on the extent of the damage. The breakaway republic’s state security ministry only confirmed that one of Tiraspol’s military bases saw a fire caused by an “explosion,” which, in turn, was the result of a drone attack.
Photos and videos that surfaced on social media show what appears to be the wreckage of a military helicopter, with its hull almost completely destroyed.
Transnistria’s state security ministry alleged that the drone arrived from the so-called “Clover Bridge” area – a major multi-level highway junction located north of the city of Tiraspol and close to the Ukrainian border. The unrecognized republic’s authorities have not named any suspects behind the incident so far. A criminal case has been opened into the attack.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between Transnistria and Moldova. In late February, Tiraspol approached Moscow, seeking aid amid what it called an “economic blockade” staged by Chisinau.
A group of Transnistria’s legislators also raised the issue with the UN Secretary General, the OSCE, the EU parliament, and other international bodies and organizations, urging them to put pressure on Moldova. Russia vowed to promptly review the request.
Chisinau dismissed Tiraspol’s claims as “propaganda” and denied any economic pressure against the breakaway republic.
