Russia's ambassador to Chisinau says Moscow will not reverse its move to open six polling stations in separatist Transdniester for presidential elections in Russia this week despite an official protest over the move by Moldova.
Russia is scheduled to hold presidential elections on March 15-17 that are widely expected to give President Vladimir Putin another term in office in the absence of any credible competition and amid the increasingly harsh repression of dissent in the country just over two years into its invasion of Ukraine.
Moldova's pro-Western government has approved the opening of only one polling station at the Russian Embassy in Chisinau, and Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi has said it is "unacceptable" that other polling stations are planned for Transdniester.
Ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov on March 12 was summoned to Moldova's Foreign Ministry, where he was told that the opening of polling stations without Chisinau's approval was a defiance of international norms and undermines Moldova's sovereignty.
After the meeting, Vasnetsov told the media that the decision made jointly by Russia's Central Electoral Commission, the Russian Foreign Ministry, and Transdniester's de facto authorities, will not be rescinded.
"Several polling stations will be opened. Of course, not as many as in previous years. But I am urging all Russian citizens to go and vote on March 17," he said.
Moscow-backed Transdniester broke away from Moldova in 1990 and the two sides fought a war that left more than 1,000 dead in 1992 before Russian troops intervened on the separatists' side. Although it has not recognized Transdniester's independence officially, Moscow has been economically and militarily backing the separatists, many of whom hold Russian passports.
Under U.S.-educated President Maia Sandu, who came to power in late 2020 after defeating the Moscow-backed incumbent, Moldova has sought to distance itself from decades of Russian influence.
In 2022, Moldova secured EU candidate status and Brussels said in December that it would open accession negotiations for Moldova to the 27-nation bloc once the country is prepared.
Moldova joined EU sanctions against Russia in November.
During the 2018 presidential election in Russia, there were 24 polling stations opened for the Russian passport holders in the region. According to official results, Putin won in Transdniester with 96 percent of the vote.
Transdniester authorities claim that more than 220,000 Russian citizens live in the separatist region, although there is no official confirmation of the number.