Russian troops illegally stationing in Transnistria held a military exercise by Nistru river

On August 3rd, the motorized units of the Operative Group of the Russian Troops (OGRT) illegally stationing in Transnistria held a “planned” exercise of overcoming water obstacles. The Western Military District of Russian Armed Forces reports that around 60 soldiers were involved in the exercise.

Team БРДМ-2 of the OGRT had to locate the enemy, to research the field and then was given the task to annihilate a group of 15 people hiding in the woods by boarding on the river bank. БТР-70 were used as vehicles to cross the Nistru river, a core of the Security Area. According to head of the OGRT, Dmitry Zelenkov, the troops successfully proved their preparedness.

Just two days ago, the Moldovan delegation in the Joint Control Commission declared its concern and dismay regarding the preparations for unauthorized exercises that include crossing Nistru. The Moldovan delegation drew the attention that the move violates the protocol decision from 13 January 2017 and the agreement of the co-presidents to refrain from any unilateral actions in August that would lead to destabilizing the situation in the Security Area.

Last year, OGRT conducted “anti-terrorist” exercises jointly with the Transnistrian armed forces, thus violating the agreements to refrain from any action next to the Security Area and near Nistru.

Here is a gallery with photos from the 2017 exercise:

Besides the 402 so-called peacekeepers, Russia holds the Operative Group of the Russian Forces in Transnistria containing approximately 1200 regular soldiers, mainly recruited from the Transnistrian locals. The Group is the new shape of the former 14th Guards Army of the Soviet Union that is illegally stationed in Transnistria after the collapse of SU.