9 ms·

"Why is Russia interested in a strategically valuable nation bordering a nation they are currently at war with? Must be Putin's ego."

chasil 4y ago
Oddly enough, I had mentioned Transnistria to several Russians and Ukrainians that I knew after Russia's first incursion. They had no idea where it is, while strenuously asserting that the West should stay out of the conflict, and mind its own business. Transnistria is a huge fortress in Eastern Europe that can act as a platform for many of Russia's goals. It has not yet been called into action because it is too valuable.
- stefan_ 4y ago
  What you call a "huge fortress" is in fact a landlocked tiny sliver of a "country" with a bunch of Soviet leftovers, some locals that operate them once a year for a parade, all built around a depot of rusted ammunition that is mere kilometres from the Ukrainian border and would erupt in a huge fireball at the start of any hostilities. Oh, and the forces there happen to lack any supply route.
  - chasil 4y ago
    Transnistria is on the Dnieper river. This means that covert access from the Black Sea is available. This further means that the region has enormous offensive capability that is installed and operational. Russia put nuclear weapons in Cuba. European tacticians likely know exactly what is in Transnistria.
    - TheLoafOfBread 4y ago
      Dnieper is going from the east through Kherson. Transnistria is west of Odesa sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine. There is only Dniester river nearby, which goes into Zatoka gulf, which is completely controlled by Ukraine. And only access to Zatoka is choke point Pidyomnyy Bridge How any Russian ship will get there without being shot to pieces?
      - chasil 4y ago
        A vessel is not necessary. Most of the parts can go by standard shipping. All that needs to move covertly is the payload. After Cuba, this was likely carefully studied.
        deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]
corbulo 4y ago
It's amazing to me how consistent the refusal is to think people you don't like might be rational. It leads to repeated underestimation. they're doing the people they don't like a favor by attributing everything to projected emotions. Just look at a terrain map with roads. Exits (or entrances) from the Carpathian mountains are incredibly important to control. They've been strategically important for literal millennia.
- TheLoafOfBread 4y ago
  > Just look at a terrain map with roads. Exits (or entrances) from the Carpathian mountains are incredibly important to control. They've been strategically important for literal millennia. That explains why Moldova is so rich, thanks to those vital routes through mountains they can tax local merchants.
stefan_ 4y ago
You must not have opened the map for longer than a quick second because there is no supply route to Moldova for Russia.
- boomboomsubban 4y ago
  Where did I say there is? Moldova borders Ukraine.

chasil 4y ago

Oddly enough, I had mentioned Transnistria to several Russians and Ukrainians that I knew after Russia's first incursion. They had no idea where it is, while strenuously asserting that the West should stay out of the conflict, and mind its own business. Transnistria is a huge fortress in Eastern Europe that can act as a platform for many of Russia's goals. It has not yet been called into action because it is too valuable.

stefan_ 4y ago
What you call a "huge fortress" is in fact a landlocked tiny sliver of a "country" with a bunch of Soviet leftovers, some locals that operate them once a year for a parade, all built around a depot of rusted ammunition that is mere kilometres from the Ukrainian border and would erupt in a huge fireball at the start of any hostilities. Oh, and the forces there happen to lack any supply route.
- chasil 4y ago
  Transnistria is on the Dnieper river. This means that covert access from the Black Sea is available. This further means that the region has enormous offensive capability that is installed and operational. Russia put nuclear weapons in Cuba. European tacticians likely know exactly what is in Transnistria.
  - TheLoafOfBread 4y ago
    Dnieper is going from the east through Kherson. Transnistria is west of Odesa sandwiched between Moldova and Ukraine. There is only Dniester river nearby, which goes into Zatoka gulf, which is completely controlled by Ukraine. And only access to Zatoka is choke point Pidyomnyy Bridge How any Russian ship will get there without being shot to pieces?
    - chasil 4y ago
      A vessel is not necessary. Most of the parts can go by standard shipping. All that needs to move covertly is the payload. After Cuba, this was likely carefully studied.
      - deleted 4y ago
        [deleted]

corbulo 4y ago

It's amazing to me how consistent the refusal is to think people you don't like might be rational. It leads to repeated underestimation. they're doing the people they don't like a favor by attributing everything to projected emotions. Just look at a terrain map with roads. Exits (or entrances) from the Carpathian mountains are incredibly important to control. They've been strategically important for literal millennia.

TheLoafOfBread 4y ago
> Just look at a terrain map with roads. Exits (or entrances) from the Carpathian mountains are incredibly important to control. They've been strategically important for literal millennia. That explains why Moldova is so rich, thanks to those vital routes through mountains they can tax local merchants.

stefan_ 4y ago

You must not have opened the map for longer than a quick second because there is no supply route to Moldova for Russia.

boomboomsubban 4y ago
Where did I say there is? Moldova borders Ukraine.