Expert Cited by TASS Says Moldova Aims to Rein In Gagauzia, Transnistria With Ukraine's Help

Russian state news agency TASS reported that an expert, identified as Igor Ivanenko, said Moldova is seeking to bring the autonomous region of Gagauzia and the breakaway territory of Transnistria under tighter control with assistance from Kiev.

According to TASS, Ivanenko said Gagauzia has found itself in a situation similar to that of Transnistria, arguing that the conflict in Ukraine has cut both regions off from external partners that have traditionally helped maintain a balance of power in the area.

The report did not provide additional details on Ivanenko's professional affiliation or the specific evidence underpinning the claim. TASS did not cite any Moldovan or Ukrainian officials in the report, nor did it include a response from authorities in Chisinau, Kiev, Gagauzia or Transnistria.

Gagauzia is an autonomous territorial unit in southern Moldova with a population that includes a significant ethnic Turkic Christian minority, while Transnistria is a breakaway region in eastern Moldova that has operated outside central government control since the early 1990s with the presence of Russian troops. Both regions have historically maintained closer ties to Moscow than to the Moldovan central government in Chisinau.

TASS is a Russian state-owned news agency. The claims in this report originate from a single source and have not been independently verified by other outlets.