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In this secessionist region in the east of the country, totally dependent on gas supplied by Moscow, the rare critical voices are repressed. A few weeks before the presidential election, they regret the passivity of the authorities in Chisinau, wary of the idea of entering into conflict with Russia.
To access a country that does not exist, you must first cross the border. The checkpoint at the entrance to Transnistria displays the green and red flags of this Moldovan region, bordering Ukraine. Men in military uniform scrutinize the comings and goings of trucks and collective minibuses. In the passport control jar, a few brochures tout the area’s cultural attractions. But in this pro-Russian territory, located in one of the least visited countries in Europe, tourists are rare. And foreigners attract all the attention.
Less than an hour and a half drive separates the Moldovan capital, Chisinau, from Tiraspol, the self-proclaimed capital of Transnistria – or the Moldovan Republic of the Dniester. The entity, not recognized internationally, including by Russia, seceded from the current Republic of Moldova in 1991, after the fall of the USSR and following a conflict between the Moldovan army and the Transnistrian militias, supported by the Russian 14th Army.
Since then, the pro-Russian territory
