CHISINAU, Moldova An alleged attack on a building used by security services in the breakaway Russian-occupied region of Transnistria is part of an effort to increase tensions in the region, Moldovan authorities said on Monday.

According to Russian state media, a “series of explosions” occurred at the Ministry of State Security in Tiraspol, the self-declared capital of Transnistria, which gained de facto autonomy from Moldova after the intervention of Russian forces in 1992, apparently to protect Russian speakers. Around 300,000 people live in the enclave, which borders Ukraine.

In a statement, Moldova’s Reintegration Policy Office said it was “concerned” about the incident, citing reports that “unidentified people fired grenade launcher shots at the headquarters of the so-called structures security in the region”.

The statement calls for calm, arguing that “the objective of the incident” is to “create pretexts to strain the security situation in the Transnistria region”.

Last week, a Russian military official, Major General Rustam Minnekayev, claimed that Moscow intended to take control of southern Ukraine, including the port city of Odessa, which would allow it “a another exit to Transnistria”. Russia currently has around 1,500 troops stationed in the territory.

On Saturday, 48 hours before the attack, Insider witnessed these soldiers stationed at the de facto border between Transnistria and the Republic of Moldova, as well as at points in the breakaway region.