Tiraspol, Transnistria – What surprises many Transnistrians about their home is that foreigners are curious about it.

Internationally recognized as part of Moldova, the Russian-backed breakaway territory stretches 400 kilometers (250 miles) along the border with southwestern Ukraine.

He first gained attention during a short civil war between Moldovan loyalists and Transdniestrian separatists in early 1992 after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

It later became a destination for adventurous tourists who called it a Soviet time capsule because of its many statues of Vladimir Lenin, its imposing Soviet-style architecture and its national flag – the last in the world to bear the insignia. hammer and sickle.

It made international headlines in 2021 when Transnistrian football team FC Sheriff Tiraspol shocked the sports world by qualifying for the Champions League.

But today, most people are curious about any threat Transnistria poses to Ukraine, as Russia continues its military maneuvers on the country’s borders.

At present, 1,500 Russian soldiers and peacekeepers are stationed on Transdniestrian soil despite calls from Moldova, NATO, Ukraine and the United States to withdraw.

Russia carried out military exercises in the region as recently as February 2 and says the Russian presence is essential to protect its citizens in the region and maintain peace between Moldovans and Transnistrians.

“I feel like a Russian”

Around 400,000 people live in Transnistria and the majority identify as Russian.

Since 2002, Moscow has been issuing passports to residents, a decision that has infuriated Kiev and Chisinau, the capital of Moldova.

Also known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR) to those who support its calls for recognition, Transnistria has its own security, government, currency and border control services.

Tiraspol, the declared capital, depends on the Kremlin for gas and pension subsidies, but despite this, Russia, as well as all members of the United Nations, does not recognize its claim to independence.

The Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic is recognized only by the self-proclaimed republics of South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Artsakh.

“I feel like a Russian, my family, my friends, the people around me all feel that too, so you grow up with it,” said Rodion Osadchy, a 30-year-old English teacher from the small Transnistrian town of Bender. . .

“A lot of older people here still identify as Soviet even though the Soviet Union no longer exists. I have known a few who still have their Soviet passports… That said, many of us have neutral feelings about what is happening in Ukraine, everyone has family in all those countries and that is very sensitive for us.

The 1,000 Russian troops in Transnistria are there to guard 22,000 tonnes of ammunition housed in a depot in the village of Cobasna – the site is believed to be the largest ammunition depot in Eastern Europe.

While Chisinau has repeatedly called for the materials to be evacuated, Moscow has been slow to fulfill its promises to act on this. About 50% of ammunition is expired.

Five hundred blue helmets make up the Russian peacekeeping mission in the region.

A troubled world

Tiraspol is a quiet city with Soviet-style apartment buildings, garish modern hotels and cozy shops. One company seems to own almost all of the petrol stations, supermarkets and distilleries – Sheriff, a name synonymous with Transnistria.

Owned by a former Soviet police officer, Viktor Gushan, the opaque organization is influential in Transdniestrian politics, commerce and daily life.

Although the people of Transnistria are warm and welcoming, there is a sense of unease about the place. People want to avoid political topics or serious questions about Viktor Gushan and his business connections.

There is no press freedom in the territory and the government has been accused of repressing opposition candidates and civic activists. According to Freedom House, this unrecognized state is “not free”.

“The European Court of Human Rights has found Russia guilty of human rights violations in the Transnistria region…Moscow can influence the situation at any time and it supports the situation economically, socially, politically and militarily,” said Ion Manole, executive director of human rights group Promo-LEX.

“We cannot speak of respect for human rights in this region. The main reason is impunity. It is a closed territory where journalists, specialists, lawyers and human rights defenders are not accepted. So we cannot even monitor the state of human rights as we would like.

The territory now known as Transnistria was part of the Soviet Union before its collapse [Amanda Coakley/Al Jazeera]

Heart to the east, mind to the west

Transnistria’s population has steadily declined due to high levels of emigration.

Although some young people have stayed behind to respond to the growth in tourism or to introduce burger bars to the mainstream restaurant scene, many have moved to Poland, Germany or Estonia.

This struggle to survive trumps any desire to scrutinize Russian influence or even local authorities.

“Of course, Transnistrians are in a hurry with the situation around us, as for my friends, some of them are quite patriotic about Pridnestrovie… others want to earn more money and they have to leave the country and go abroad,” said Katya, a young businesswoman.

“My parents are quite patriotic about Pridnestrovie, and they want it to be with Russia. They also identify as Russians… I hear many foreigners when they come here say that Pridnestrovie feels almost like Russia – because everything is in Russian and people look alike. But for many of us, we don’t think about politics, we just try to focus on our own lives.