"Another Moldova": how people live in Pridnestrovie

On the other side of the checkpoint

I imagined the PMR as something like our “DPR,” “LPR” – checkpoints, huge crowds, good reasons for crossing, and the hostile attitude of residents from different sides of the barricades. However, the reality here is different. But first things first.

You can get to Transnistria by land or by ferry across the Dniester. By the way, the ferry under the flag of Moldova is free and runs every 2 hours. The right bank is Moldova, and the left bank is PMR. Two cars stand side by side on the ferry - a Mercedes with a Moldavian number and a KAMAZ with a PMR number. On the right side, the ferry under the Moldovan flag departs from the settlement of Moldova; on the left side, it lands at Molovata Nova. By the way, many payments of the PMR duplicate the names of the territories of Moldova with the addition of "nova." Russian soldiers are stationed in Molovata Nova, “MS” is written on the chevrons, and the flag of the Russian Federation is at the checkpoint. They don’t stop cars, they don’t check anyone, and they don’t even ask for documents. Moreover, I filmed the checkpoint from the vehicle; no one said a word to me. According to local information, most of the so-called Russian peacekeepers serving here are locals with a contract with Russia.

Time Machine

You can distinguish between the settlements of the unrecognized republic and the Moldovan ones by the signs (in Moldova, they are in Latin, and the PMR - Cyrillic in Russian). We drive through the territory of Transnistria: on both sides of the road, there are reminders of the 1992 war - graves, half-filled trenches, and the remains of destroyed buildings.

We pass the village of Rogi. According to locals, one of the most beautiful local places. It was here that fierce battles took place in 1992.

We stop by Dubossary, one of the major cities of Transnistria.

True, it is large by local standards (the city's population is about 30 thousand people and, in the most unrecognized republic - 370 thousand). Here, time seems to have stopped somewhere in the 1980s: Lenin's sculptures, the regional police department, and the crumbling mosaic at the bus stop, which most likely has been standing without cosmetic changes since the day it appeared.

The main building of the city is the district administration. A memorial stone was laid near it - the directors of public utilities (8 people) who came to a meeting in the administrative building and came under shelling in 1992 died here. Also nearby is a billboard with the history of the city.

Prices and salaries

Prices and wages in Transnistria are lower than in Moldova itself. Therefore, on the way back, the Moldovan border guards at the checkpoint ask to open the trunk to see if there is any smuggling. So, if before the arrival of Ukrainian refugees in Chisinau, it was possible to rent an odnushkaan for 150 euros, then in Tiraspol (the capital of the PMR) - 300 local rubles. If in Chisinau the average salary is 500 euros, then in Tiraspol - 3814 PRB (Transnistrian rubles), about 320 euros. By the way, the official currency of the unrecognized republic is the Transnistrian ruble. But unofficially, you can also buy goods for lei (Moldovan monetary unit).

What is common between Pridnestrovie and "LNR," "DNR."

Although the PMR, like the LDNR, is an unrecognized republic that appeared with the intervention of the Russian Federation, and there are parallels, many things are different. Unlike those living in ORDLO, ordinary residents of Transnistria do not dream about Russia at all. Also, many do not want to go to Moldova either. Everyone with whom we managed to talk said: we want to live as it is now; we don’t need the Russian Federation. Ordinary people are afraid of war; the top understands that if Russia comes, they will be removed and replaced by others. For me, a Ukrainian journalist, the PMR is more like a light version of ORDLO. At the same time, the interests of both parties are observed. So, in Transnistria, here is an industry - factories and weaving factories. According to locals, Transnistria provides Moldova with electricity for the most part. At the same time, PMR goods can be freely bought in Moldovan stores.

By the way, there is an advertisement for pharmacies on Google; wherein one line is written: “medicines in pharmacies of Moldova and the PMR” ...