Did anyone one hear about this one? Started after Moldova wanted to unite back with Romania in 1992. Started out as a fight between Romanian and Moldovian Nationalist and the Slavs this war was similar to Yugoslavian conflict. The Start In 1989 Moldova (still part of SSSR) announces that every citizen living in MSSR is required to speak Moldovian language at all times. This came as a racist hit for Slavic population in Transdnistria. Blow Moldovian nationalism is at its high as Soviet republic begins to fade away. Thousands of people in the Moldovian capital rally because of their independence. The Moldovian nationalists speak out against a TransDniester region and its people. To War TransDniester declares independence from Moldova because they fear the reunion of Romanians with Moldovians. Moldovian police or army men attacked a highway post in TransDniester region. All men in the post were killed. TransDniester a home to 14th Red Army, now Russian Army deploys tanks to patrol the region. MAY 1992 Late May is a month when all schools in the former Soviet Union have graduations. At the same time, Romanian government offered help to Moldova by giving them Romanian prisoners who will fight. Romanians and Moldovian attack their first Russian speaking target, a city called Tighina. They found them self’s in the middle of a graduations all across the city. To them this was an opportunity of a life time. Armed with all sorts of weapons they take Bender by surprise. Coming to schools and raping girls and castrating 17 and 18 year olds. They left the city into the deep forests of Moldova. The TransDniester so called government called upon their guard. The PMR (TransDniester Army) is quickly formed and told to protect Bender. The city of Bender became a battle zone during the summer of 1992. The ambushes and bomb explosions were common in the process. Thousands of Tighina residence fled the town, many stayed in TransDniester capital Tiraspol (about 5 miles from Tighina). Others, being citizens of Ukraine and Russian fled. As the battles in Tighina and the county side started to kill more and more people, Moldovian Air Force using Romanian planes bombed Tighina. This led Russia to react to the problem. Knowing that their troops and hardware is stationed in Tiraspol, Russians decided to help. Under a command of General Alexander Lebed( killed in a air crash 4/28/2002) the Russian Army attacked on the Moldovian and Romanian forces in the Moldovian forests using modern Katusha's. The attack drove back the Moldovians and Romanians. Fearing a massive attack by the Russians, Romanians bailed out of the conflict. The remainding Moldovians faced Russian army troops in the villages (my 18 year old uncle was one of them). By the time fall started the conflict was over and Lebed became a hero in the region. [ 24. February 2003, 10:20 PM: Message edited by: VYACHESLAV ]
Tighina and Bender or (Benderi) this is one city just has different names Russian Bender Moldovian Tighina
This conflict was completely washed away in the media by the 1991/92 Yugoslavian war. All issues solved now? Cheers,
There is no war but the Trans Dniester region still exists. The region is a small part of a nation that was once called Soviet Union. You have streets called Marl Marx and statues of Lenin and even passports are from Soviet Union. People feel that they are better off being nobody in the world, rather then joining the Moldova (poorest nation in Europe).
Very good information, Vyacheslav. I must admit that I was not informed of this conflict. I only knew about the creation of this little state and its capital, Kishinev, but that was all. Now I know more. Thanks. And that is another example of how brutal civil wars are...
Well, the Trans Dniester region is corrupted even today. Their so called president Igor Smirnoff does not care about his country, but rather how to stay in power. The whole region is corrupted and if you go to Bender you will still find a war like sceen. I remember going there after the war ws over. As you enter the town you see crosses everywhere.
That are apawling news, Vyacheslav. Very sorry to hear that. May I ask you a question? Are your parents from there or are you from there or what? Or you just went there because of?
It is not as bad as it seems (if you have $$$). In Ukraine the currency is at its lowest rate because of the government's stupidity. They basically decided that Russian is not an important language (most modern Ukrainians don't read or write in Ukranian) so they intended to do this: If there is a Russian word that could not be translated into Ukranian, then the same word will be taken from the Polish language and put in Ukranian. Their economy went down pretty fast after that statement. The Russia is just a gang land where one must survive by breaking the law. Look at the majority of Russian students, some crack heads or hackers. That's a life in the Motherland.
You know it would be a good idea to make a documentary about this war. I remember watching some footage from some Battles. This was one of the amazing things I have ever seen. They were showing an interview with a solder, this guy is about 32 holding an AK fighting for Slavs, then two days later they show his funeral. Then there is an ambulance rushing on the streets and all you hear is just bullets flying. I remember my cousins friends who were like 17 or 18 were camptured by the Romanians. This was few days before the war was over so they let those guys go. When they came back they were acting like heroes. Oh well, I doubt that there will ever be a conflict again in that region.
Vyacheslav, Why don't you start with writing and documenting the stories of the people/soldiers involved en see if you can get you hands on local documents and pictures? Obviously there will be many combattants still around and not to old. You will have better access to people and docs because you come from there and I guess you still speak the language? This conflict is one (of many) that goes completely unnoticed in the west and I think you would do well documenting this. It seems right up your alley. Any footage/interviews on tape are gold in that case, of course.... What are you studying?? Stevin
