The Foreign Ministry today issued a stern warning to Israeli citizens residing in the separatist republic of Transnistria, a rebel-held region in Moldovan sovereign territory.
The announcement comes after a series of explosions at key sites including the Ministry of Defense of the Republic and Russian radio transmitters stationed in the autonomous territories.
The Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "In view of the deteriorating security situation in the Transnistria region and the fact that the Foreign Ministry's ability to provide assistance to Israeli citizens staying there is restricted, Israeli citizens are urged to leave Transnistria as soon as possible. They are traveling at this time. "
Civilians flee Transnistria after the explosions
The West fears that the explosions, along with messages from Trans - Austria's pro - Russian self - government accusing Ukraine of carrying out attacks on the internationally unrecognized republic, constitute an attempt to find an excuse to launch an attack on Ukraine from Transnistria's territory.
Russian military forces defined as a "peacekeeping force" have been in the republic since the 1990s, after disengaging from Moldova in fighting after Chisinau gained independence from the Soviet Union.
"The Jewish community is safe"
Rabbi Pinchas Salzman, rabbi of Moldova, today visited the Jewish community in the region and also met with the region's president, Mr. Vadim Krasnoselsky.
In a meeting with the president of the region, Rabbi Salzman and the head of the Jewish community in Tiraspol, the capital of the region, Mr. Yuri Kreitman, discussed the recent events and the situation of the Jewish community in the region.
Krasnoselsky noted positively the Jewish community's contribution to security stability in the region.
According to the president, the recent events took place in remote places and do not pose a danger to the Jews of the region.
Rabbi Salzman and Mr. Kreitman thanked the president of the region for the time he devotes to the development of the Jewish community in Trespaul and the other cities in the Transnistria region.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Rabbi Salzman said that the Jews in the region feel safe, and that there will be no significant departure of Jews from the region.
Rabbi Pinchas Salzman during his visit to Moldova,
During the tour, Rabbi Salzman visited the Jewish community building in Trespol as well as the local police offices, to examine security reinforcements near the Jewish community institutions.
According to the rabbi, there is currently no concern for the safety of the Jews of Transnistria.
He said: "Except for isolated incidents in our community in Chisinau, there is no immediate fear of fighting in the Transnistrian region. The Jews of the region express confidence in the government's ability to ensure their safety and do not want to leave their homes. "Let him have the messages of the Jewish community and their gratitude for the support throughout the period."
A Soviet republic without the Soviet Union
Transnistria gained de facto independence after a brief but bloody war with Moldova in 1991. The political entity was formed as a countermeasure of a Russian-speaking population supporting the strengthening of ties with Moscow, with the assistance and encouragement of the Kremlin.
A Soviet-style sign in Tiraspol, Transnistria, Photo: Moshe Shai
Since then the republic has been ruled, which no country in the world except Russia has recognized its sovereignty, like a Soviet republic without the Soviet Union.
The symbols of the republic also remained similar to those under the Soviet Union.
The republic has a population of less than half a million people and houses thousands of Russian troops to prevent Chisinau from attempting to recapture the territory, which it considers an integral part of its territory.
Earlier this year, the relegation zone made headlines after its leading football team, Sheriff Tiraspol, advanced to the Champions League final and played against well-known teams such as Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
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