Transnistria

Transnistria or Transdniester (Russian: Pridnestrov'e, Romanian: Transnistria) is a region in eastern Europe. It is considered internationally to be part of Moldova, and previously part of the Moldavian SSR, but has declared independence as the Transdniestrian Moldovan Republic, with a capital at Tiraspol. The region has a Slavic-speaking majority, who fear unification with Romania. The name comes from it being the area of Moldava east of the river Nistria.

The area had been controlled by the Ottoman Empire and was ceded to the Russian Empire in 1792. It was organised as the 'Moldavian Autonomous Oblast' in the Ukrainian SSR. After World War II, it was included with Bessarabia into the Moldavian SSR in exchange for the Southern Bessarabia ("Bugeac"), which was included in the Ukrainian SSR.