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A rare look inside Transnistria, the breakaway republic that borders Ukraine led by Russian-backed separatists

  • Transnistria broke away from the Republic of Moldova in 1992, aided by Russian intervention.

  • Although declaring itself a "state," it is not recognized by any other country.

  • Insider traveled there to see what life is like on the ground.

TIRASPOL, TRANSNISTRIA — Just 48 hours before unidentified actors carried out attacks in late April in Transnistria, Insider traveled to the Kremlin-backed breakaway republic — inside Moldova, along the border with Ukraine — to see what life is like in a territory that is home to roughly 1,500 Russian soldiers.

 

Transnistria is a Russian-backed separatist region in Moldova.

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Sign for a tile company in the city of Bender.Charles Davis/Insider

It borders Ukraine and is home to more than 300,000 people.

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Casino and bus station in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

Transnistria declared itself an independent nation after a brief war in 1992.

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Apartment building in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

The war came after Moldova declared independence from the Soviet Union.

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Apartment building in Bender.Charles Davis/Insider

Newly independent Moldova had declared Romanian to be its official language.

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Cargo train station in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

Russia then intervened, ostensibly to protect the rights of Russian speakers in Transnistria.

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Empty cargo train station in Bender.Charles Davis/Insider

Transnistria's claimed sovereignty is not recognized by any nation, including Russia.

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Closed ticket window at Bender train stationCharles Davis/Insider

But at least 1,500 Russian troops are believed to be stationed in the region as "peacekeepers."

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Cargo train station in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

Peacekeepers with armored vehicles are stationed at the de facto border between Moldova and Transnistria.

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Calendar from 2020 at Bender train stationCharles Davis/Insider

Transnistria is not able to stamp passports, so foreign visitors are issued a piece of paper informing them how long they can stay.

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Recycled battery box at Bender train stationCharles Davis/Insider

When Insider visited, authorities asked no questions about the reporter's US passport, allowing them to stay for up to 12 hours.

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Soviet-era telephone at Bender train stationCharles Davis/Insider

Soon after Insider's visit, Transnistrian authorities reported a series of explosions that they blamed on outside elements.

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Moldovan soda at Bender train stationCharles Davis/Insider

Russian officials have claimed they intend to conquer southern Ukraine in part to connect Transnistria to Crimea.

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Sign at Bender train stationCharles Davis/Insider

Russia's stated intentions have sparked concern that a new war could break out in Transnistria.

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Sign commemorating Russian czarsCharles Davis/Insider

Transnistria was the most heavily industrialized part of Moldova under the Soviet Union.

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Parking lot at Bender train stationCharles Davis/Insider

Today it continues to provide the majority of Moldova's electricity, powered by free Russian gas.

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14 tracks at the Bender train stationCharles Davis/Insider

Transnistria has a military of its own, believed to number up to 10,000 soldiers, with many more available on reserve.

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Soviet-era train cars at the station in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

It is also home to one of the largest ammunition depots in Europe, a relic of the Soviet Union that Russia has cited to justify its military presence.

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Train cars in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

In late April, Transnistrian authorities claimed the area around the arms depot was attacked and that surveillance drones had been launched from Ukraine.

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Elevated walkway in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

Ukraine denies that it has launched any attacks inside Transnistria.

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Elevated walkway in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

Some military experts believe the alleged attacks have been carried out by Russia to either justify intervention or divert Ukraine's attention.

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Graffiti in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

The attacks have contributed to a desire by Moldovan authorities to strengthen their military capabilities.

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Graffiti on a wall near the cargo train station in Bender.Charles Davis/Insider

Transnistrian authorities have long expressed a desire to join Russia, with Russian flags hanging on government buildings in the capital, Tiraspol.

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Train museum in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

But Transnistrian officials have not explicitly endorsed Russia's intervention in Ukraine.

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Train museum in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians live in Transnistria, including recent refugees.

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Lenin Street in BenderCharles Davis/Insider

The only public sign of the war in Ukraine are the Ukrainian license plates on vehicles driven by recent arrivals.

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A statue of Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin at a park in Bender, Transnistria.Charles Davis/Insider

Despite its political isolation, the region does not appear more economically depressed than Moldova.

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A movie theater in Bender plays some of the latest films from Hollywood and Russia.Charles Davis/Insider

Clean streets are lined with cinemas, cafes, and restaurants.

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A movie poster at the cinema in Bender.Charles Davis/Insider

The streets are also full of modern luxury vehicles.

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A copy and printing shop in Bender.Charles Davis/Insider

What you won't find in Transnistria are many international corporations, with Russian banks dominating the financial sector.

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Charles Davis/Insider

Many in Transnistria enjoy Russian, Moldovan, and Romanian citizenship, the latter allowing them to travel visa-free to Europe.

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Bender apartment buildingCharles Davis/Insider

Despite Russia's support, Transnistria enjoys close connections with Europe, with a majority of its exports going to the European Union.

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EU project at Bender Fortress.Charles Davis/Insider

Insider witnessed European Union projects intended to boost Transnistria's tourism industry.

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Signs advertise European Union support for a reconstruction project at the Ottoman-era fortress in Bender.Charles Davis/Insider

Russian soldiers and local volunteers collaborate at military bases in Transnistria.

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Bender military base.Charles Davis/Insider

Military equipment can be see from a tower at the Ottoman-era fortress in Bender.

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Bender Fortress in Transnistria.Charles Davis/Insider

Although they undergo regular combat exercises, troops in Transnistria rely on old, Soviet-era equipment.

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Military equipment can be see on a base used by Russian forces in Bender, Transnistria.Charles Davis/Insider

The majority of Transnistria is located on the eastern side of the Dniester River.

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A bridge in Bender, Transnistria, is painted in the colors of the Russian and local flags.Charles Davis/Insider

For the last 30 years, residents have been taught that Moldova tried to wipe out the area's Russian speakers.

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A museum at the Ottoman-era Bender Fortress in Transnistria celebrates Russian intervention.Charles Davis/Insider

Nearly all business in Transnistria is controlled by oligarchs, with the "Sheriff" brand on supermarkets and football stadiums.

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Supermarket in Tiraspol.Charles Davis/Insider

Moldovan authorities have suggested there is an elite split in Transnistria between military and economic powers.

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A building believed to house military officers in Transnistria.Charles Davis/Insider

Despite some uses of Soviet-era imagery, Transnistria practices Russian-style capitalism.

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A billboard in Tiraspol welcomes visitors to the "Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic."Charles Davis/Insider

Leaders are more nostalgic for the pre-communist Russian Empire than they are for the Soviet Union.

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A tank monument in Tiraspol celebrates Russia's "Great Patriotic War" and the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II.Charles Davis/Insider

Russian and Transnistrian flags wave in Suvorov Square in Tiraspol, the self-proclaimed capital.

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Suvorov Square in Tiraspol on April 23, 2022.Charles Davis/Insider

Photographing government buildings in Transnistria is discouraged.

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A government building in Tiraspol, Transnistria.Charles Davis/Insider

On a Saturday in April, streets were full of cars, including a BMW drivers' club, and sidewalks full of pedestrians.

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A public monument in Tiraspol.Charles Davis/Insider

Tiraspol hosts consulates for Abkhazia and South Ossetia, two other Russian-allied separatist regions not recognized by the international community.

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A menu advertises Russian and Ukrainian cuisine in Tiraspol.

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Restaurant in Tiraspol.Charles Davis/Insider

Because it is not an internally recognized state, Transnistria cannot have its currency produced by reputable printers, forcing it to turn to plastic tokens like those used in casinos.

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An ad for the Transnitrian currency in Tiraspol.Charles Davis/Insider

The airport in Tiraspol is not open to commercial aviation and was recently the target of a claimed attack.

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A travel company in Tiraspol.Charles Davis/Insider

In light of recent explosions, Moldovan authorities have stepped up searches of vehicles leaving Transnistria.

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A building destroyed by fire can be seen from the main street in Tiraspol.Charles Davis/Insider

A monument to the 18th-century Russian general Alexander Suvorov is located in the center of Tiraspol.

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Suvorov Square in Tiraspol.Charles Davis/Insider

Transnistria is formally known as the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.

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A billboard welcoming people to Transnistria in front of the tank monument in Tiraspol.Charles Davis/Insider

New buildings feature modern architecture that would not be out of place in US or European cities.

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A high-end restaurant in Tiraspol.Charles Davis/Insider

The House of Soviets in Tiraspol is today used as the city hall.

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The House of Soviets in Tiraspol.Charles Davis/Insider

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