Moldovan president holds security meeting after blasts in Transnistria

Two radio antennae in the Moldovan breakaway region of Transnistria have been damaged by blasts.

 A view of toppled Pridnestrovian radio centre antennas, also known as "Grigoriopol transmitter", near Maiac, Grigoriopol (photo credit: REUTERS)
A view of toppled Pridnestrovian radio centre antennas, also known as "Grigoriopol transmitter", near Maiac, Grigoriopol
(photo credit: REUTERS)

Moldovan President Maia Sandu is convening a meeting of the country's Supreme Security Council on Tuesday over incidents that took place in the breakaway Transnistria region, the president's press office said in a statement.

"The Supreme Security Council will meet from 1300 (1000 GMT) at the Presidency. After the meeting, at 1500, President Maia Sandu will hold a press briefing," the statement said.

Two radio antennae in the Moldovan breakaway region of Transnistria have been damaged by blasts, the interior ministry said on Tuesday.

"In the early morning of April 26, two explosions occurred in the village of Maiac, Grigoriopol district: the first at 6:40 and the second at 7:05", the ministry said. It said that two radio antennas were knocked out following the blasts.

No residents were injured, the ministry said.

Several explosions were reported near the State Security Ministry building in Tiraspol, Transnistria, the pro-Russian breakaway region of Moldova, Russian news outlet TASS reported Monday, citing TV channel TSV.

Ukraine Intelligence has claimed that the explosions in the Transnistrian region are a planned provocation by the Russian special services(FSB).

"It is obvious that this case is one of a number of provocative measures organized by the FSB to instill panic and anti-Ukrainian sentiment," they said in a statement.

Firefighters are currently on scene and ambulances are nearby, TSV reported, according to TASS. No casualties have been reported at this time.

Unverified photos show broken windows in the building and other unverified eyewitness photos shared on Telegram show two used grenade launchers on the street near the building, according to TASS.

Deputy of the Supreme Council (Transnistria's legislature) Andrey Safonov told a TASS correspondent that a hand grenade launcher was used.

 "The shelling of the building by a grenade launcher is an attempt to sow panic and fear," he told TASS.

"Attempts to put pressure on us have been observed before."