Russia's Next Annexe? Could Trans-Dniester be next?

Russia's annexation of Crimea has led some to wonder whether any other former Soviet countries could follow.

 The separatist region of Trans-Dniester has already offered itself to Moscow - a request which Russia has promised to consider

Transdniestria’s separatist parliament has made overtures towards Vladimir Putin to incorporate the region into the Russia Federation, despite Moldova’s president warning Moscow against any such move. 

Trans-Dniester

• A narrow strip of land between the Dniester river and the Ukrainian border
• Proclaimed independence from Moldova in 1990
• The international community does not recognise its self-declared statehood

Trans-Dniester is home to about 300,000 people who live amid a drab and arid agricultural landscape, peppered with checkpoints run by Russian peacekeeping troops. The same soldiers also keep watch over immigration posts on the Moldovan border. More than a thousand are based here. 


 A sign in Trans-Dniester reminds people: "We are not Moldova!"