By Tony Weselovsky
Ukraine is on edge as it faces what analysts call the greatest buildup of military forces in Europe in decades.
Russia has nearly encircled Ukraine, deploying an estimated 130,000 troops and military hardware on three fronts: in Crimea to the south, on the Russian side of the two countries’ border, and in Belarus to the north.
Rarely mentioned, however, is the small contingent of Russian troops on Ukraine’s southwestern border.
For decades, Russia has had more than 1,000 troops in Transdniester, a breakaway region of Moldova — one of Europe’s oldest so-called frozen conflicts — and Ukrainian officials are wary. While largely overlooked, some military experts say the region could be a key spot if Russia does opt for a large-scale invasion of Ukraine.
And Washington appears worried as well. On February 14, the State Department issued a statement urging U.S. citizens not to travel to Moldova due to COVID-19 and the “unusual and concerning Russian military activity around Ukraine, and the unresolved conflict between the breakaway region of Transdniester and the central government.”
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