The disputed territory Transnistria - a former Soviet breakaway state situated between Moldova and Ukraine -denied that it is mobilizing forces for war with Ukraine in a series of government statements on Saturday and Thursday.
"We, Pridnestrovians, are a people who know what war is, and we are a people who know how important it is to appreciate and preserve peace," said the Saturday statement. "We believe that in the light of recent events in Ukraine, our best and most correct reaction should not be marches and banners, but the preservation of calm in our multinational republic, the preservation of peace."
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President Vadim Krasnoselsky denied rumors of combat preparations on Thursday, saying "Such or similar decisions were not made by the leadership of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic. The army of the republic functions in a standard mode, military units are in places of permanent deployment,” state media reported.
The Ukrainian armed forces also stated on Saturday that it did not believe that Transnistria was preparing for war, noting that "the 'chairman' of the self-proclaimed Transnistrian region, Krasnoselsky, has ruled out the possibility of involving units of the Transnistrian Armed Forces in Russia's war against Ukraine."
Krasnoselsky said that such rumors was misinformation by "provocateurs who sow panic and discord," and urged his citizens to only follow official reports.
Emphasizing a neutral role, Krasnoselsky said, “We continue to provide assistance to everyone who asks for help, regardless of citizenship and place of residence.”
Transnistrian state media said that it has been accepting refugees from Ukraine.
Transnistria is a de-facto independent but unrecognized breakaway state from Moldova formed in 1990 originally as an attempt to remain part of the Soviet Union should the rest of Moldova achieve independence – an issue that soon became moot when the Soviet Union dissolved shortly thereafter.
According to a statement from Ukraine's military on February 24, the Russian aim also includes creating a land corridor on the southern coast toward the annexed Crimea peninsula and the Transnistria region of Moldova.
Moldova on Thursday entered a 60-day state of emergency due to the ongoing conflict, Reuters reported on February 25.