Children prepare for a performance to commemorate the victory of the USSR in World War II, Tiraspol.
Since Transnistria declared the independence, the government has been soughing to create a patriotic discourse based largely on the glorification of the Soviet past and the victory of the USSR in World War II.
Portrait of Lenin in a hostel, Tiraspol, April 2018
Transnistria keeps monuments and street names from the time of the USSR, unlike the rest of the post-Soviet countries. By seceding, the Transnistrian government decided also to keep the Soviet symbols in opposition to the new Moldavian symbology. Both the flag and the national coat of arms are remodeled versions of the flag and coat of arms of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic, of which the region was a part before separation. Tiraspol Moldova
Ievdonija Filinovja (95 years old), veteran of the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II at her home, Tiraspol.
The memory of the Second World War is still very much alive in the region, glorifying the victory of the USSR over fascism. War veterans receive supplements to pensions and are one of the few groups that enjoy complete free social coverage. In general their pensions are paid by Russian government (under condition they ask for Russian nationality).
Siergei, veteran of the World War II at his home, Tiraspol.
Museum of History in Bendery.
Post-Soviet nostalgia is strong especially among the older population of Transnistria. It is not uncommon to hear comments like: "I cried when Stalin died" or "Perestroika ruined our lives."
Children prepare for a performance to commemorate the victory of the USSR in World War II, Tiraspol.
Since Transnistria declared the independence, the government has been soughing to create a patriotic discourse based largely on the glorification of the Soviet past and the victory of the USSR in World War II.
Students from the cadet school of the Ministry of Interior of Transnistria watch a performance to commemorate the victory of the USSR in World War II, Tiraspol.
Moldovan orphanage in the Cioburciu village, mostly Moldovan, but under the jurisdiction of Transnistria, where it is mandatory to use the Moldovan language written with the Cyrillic alphabet.
“My family was born here, my grandmother is buried here. Part of my family after the separation left, part stayed here. Now, those who live in Chisinau (Moldova), when they want to come to their family home, to see us, to visit my grandmother's grave, they have to apply for a visa at the border. This is not normal. ”- Verónica, 48, a teacher at the Moldovan Lyceum in Tiraspol.
An orphanage for children in a village mostly inhabited by Moldovans, Cioburciu.
Local market in Balka neighborhood in the morning, Tiraspol, October 2018
The unilateral separation of Moldova created a kind of bubble, where non-recognition and a legal limbo allow opaque and dubious businesses, opening the way to poverty and inequalities. Today the economic and political life of the region is practically ruled by the oligarchs.
The poverty, inequalities, lack of alternatives and work mark the rhythm of daily life, leaving in vain state efforts to force the patriotic spirit and convince youth to stay. According to a study carried out by the International Organization for Migration, only in 2015 about 15% of the active population left the region permanently: the majority were young people who chose Russia as their destination. Little by little the country is depopulating, leaving behind children and grandparents. Tiraspol Moldova
Coffins at the back of Tiraspol Hospital, October 2018
After the unilateral separation in 1990, during the first two years Transnistria experienced a series of armed conflicts that took on very intense proportions, especially in the spring of 1992. Transnistria was supported by the Russian army, which until now stations in the region and is considered by the local population as the guarantee of peace. Tiraspol Moldova
House of Ievdonija Filinovja, the veteran of the Battle of Stalingrad in World War II, Tiraspol, October 2018 Tiraspol Moldova
Alexandra Telpis at her parents' house, Bendery, October 2018
Alexandra (28 years old) works at “A priori”, an NGO that promotes cultural activities and organizes various types of courses for young people. In 2016 the NGO supported a local photographer who wanted to expose her work on homosexual people living in Transnistria. The exhibition has been canceled due to pressure from the Transnistrian KGB services on the photographer and her family.
According to Alexandra, the most important thing in the region today is that people from both sides “sit together with a willingness to really listen to each other.” Alexandra works at the “A priori” NGO based in Tiraspol but registered in Moldova, where they also have their bank account; condition to function more agilely and receive European funds.
Alexandra's mother is Moldovan and she always dreamed that her daughter could study in Moldovan with a Latin alphabet and not Cyrillic as it is the case in Transnistria. There are few Moldovan schools in Transnistria that has a right to teach in Moldovan with the Latin alphabet. In addition, according to Ion Iovcev, director of a Moldovan high school in Tiraspol, until now the institution had many problems with the Transnistrian security services for "being considered agents of the enemy state." Bendery Moldova
Ludmila Michailova’s house in Tiraspol.
Albina Georgievna (71 years old, Russian origins) in her house in Grigoriopol. 60% of Transnistrians are Russian speakers.
According to the official census from 2016, 470,600 people live in Transnistria, of which 60% are Russian speakers (Russians and Ukrainians), 32% are Moldovans and 8% are from other ethnic backgrounds (Bulgarians, Gagauzos, Jews, Germans and Poles) .
Bogdan (18 years old) at his home. Bender, May 2018
Bogdan lives alone with his grandmother and supports himself partly by playing music on the street. His grandmother has an old piano at home and Bogdan, having saved up, managed to pay a professional to tune it. He dreams of becoming a musician, but he has no means to educate himself in this direction and does not see possibilities to develop his career in Transnistria either. In order to realize his dream, he thinks of emigrating to Russia or Europe.
Among young people, emigration is the most frequent future project. Many say they want to live normally, be able to develop both personally and economically, or simply have access to various goods like any other European. In Transnistria there are no cultural centers, independent galleries or music scenes that would allow young people to express and develop their creativity. Tiraspol Moldova
Ludmila Michailova’s house in Tiraspol.
Ludmila Michailowa (70 years old) at her home, Tiraspol.
Many pensioners (like Ludmila) help their children and grandchildren to support themselves. Many ask for Russian nationality to access a pension that can be 3 times higher than the pension paid by the Transnistria government.
A regional artisan in the celebration on the occasion of the 610th anniversary of the city Bendery. Bendery Moldavia
Local restaurant in Bendery.
For the majority of inhabitants, the Soviet heritage is simply part of its history, while others transform it into a merchandising product with a powerful tourist attraction.
The "Green market" in Tiraspol, where local producers and farmers can sell their products. The land and infrastructure belongs to conglomerate "Sheriff".
"When there was separation, we thought we were going to build a little Switzerland here, we had all potential for that, and well ..." Sheriff "appeared and that's all. Here it is not the president who governs, but "Sheriff" and his team. " Svetlana (name changed), 77, former professor of biochemistry at the University of Tiraspol.
The Dniester River, the de facto border between Moldova and Transnistria, Tiraspol.
Before the separation the region was the most prosperous part of the Soviet Republic of Moldova, with a standard of living twice as high as in Bessarabia - the Romanian part of Moldova. The lack of recognition plunged the region into isolation by placing it in a legal limbo that opened the way to poverty and the development of inequalities.
Tiraspol, considered the capital of Transnistria.
The match between FC "Sheriff" Tiraspol and FC Milsami Orhei at the “Sheriff’s” sport complex.
"Sheriff" is a private conglomerate formed in 1993 by two former members of secret services of the Soviet Republic of Moldova: Victor Gushan and Ilya Kazmaly. "Sheriff" controls practically the entire economic life of the country owning supermarkets, refineries, alcohol industry, telephony and internet, pharmacies and clinical analysis centers, Tiraspol.
Veterans before the concert to commemorate the victory of the USSR in World War II, Tiraspol, April 2018
According to the official data, in 1995, 90% of the Transnistrian population voted in favor of keeping Russian troops in the region. After Putin annexed Crimea in 2014, the Transnistrian government expressed in a letter to Moscow its desire to join the Russian Federation as well. However, in the war between Ukraine and Russia, which began in 2022, the Transnistrians try to remain neutral. 30% of the region's population is of Ukrainian origin. Tiraspol Moldova
Pro Putin electoral poster, Grigoriopol.
The Republican Party Obnovlenie, the current ruling party in Transnistria, strongly supports Putin and his party "United Russia". Putin's portraits and the Russian flags can be found in many institutions and official offices; The Russian flag was also declared as a national symbol at the same level as the flag of Transnistria.
Interior of one of the typical apartment buildings, Tiraspol, October 2018
Before the separation Transnistria was the most prosperous part of the Moldavian Soviet Republic. Here was concentrated the industrial potential that supplied electricity for the entire territory and produced approximately 40% of the Moldovan GDP. In Bessarabia, the Romanian-speaking part of Moldova, the economy was concentrated on agriculture, especially wine production. On the eve of the fall of the USSR, the standard of living in Transnistria was twice as high as in the rest of Moldova. Tiraspol Moldova
Albina with a book about Putin, Grigoriopol, May 2018
According to several international university researchers, the main political actors involved in the Transnistrian issue prefer to maintain the current status quo. In parallel, technical negotiations are privileged that actually lead to an economic reincorporation of Transnistria to Moldova. - “If Moldova reincorporates the region politicaly, the strong Russian component will unbalance its own population. It would also have to pay the debt accumulated by Russia's gas. On the other hand, it needs to normalize its relations to enter the EU. Russia wants to maintain its influence in the region, but without paying a high price. And the government of Transnistria as long as it can do its business, the rest doesn't really matter." – Thomas Merle, associate professor at the University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, author of the thesis on de facto countries like Transnistria. Grigoriopol Moldova
Vadim Krasnoselsky, president of Transnistria, during a celebration on the occasion of the 610th anniversary of Bendery.
Krasnoselsky won the presidential elections in 2016, supported by the oligarchs and the powerful private business conglomerate "Sheriff" that controls virtually the entire economic life of the country.
Sasza (25 years old) at her home with her three passports: Transnistrian, Russian and Moldovan, from left to right; at her home in Bendery. The Transnistrian passport is not recognized by the International Community. In order to travel, people need to get another nationality.
The Parliament of Transnistria, Tiraspol.
The current government cultivates and glorifies the Soviet past, but in real life it chooses an economy oriented towards the free market and based on private property. As for the inhabitants, while for some the Soviet heritage is simply part of its history, others transform it into merchandise with a powerful tourist attraction.
Tiraspol, considered the capital of Transnistria.
The separation was accompanied by the appearance of the oligarchs who, taking advantage of the international legal limbo and the confinement in which the region found itself, developed opaque and concentrated in the hands of one private conglomerate, businesses. Consequently, many economic inequalities appeared in society.
Alexandra Telpis (29 years old) at her parents' house in Bendery. Alexandra works in a NGO based in Transnistria but registered in Moldova, the only way to obtain European funds.
In 2016 the NGO supported a local photographer wanting to expose her work about homosexual people living in Transnistria. The exhibition had to be canceled due to pressures from the KGB services on the photographer and her family.
Boarding school for children, Parkany.
The main problem that Transnistria faces is the difficult economic situation and the lack of work. In 2015, around 15% of the active population emigrated permanently, the majority choosing Russia as their destination. In many cases the parents leave the children to their relatives or in the orphanages.
Kickany Monastery, near Tiraspol, April 2018
According to official government data, in 1991, 97.7% of the region's population voted for independence. However, 32% of Transnistrians still define themselves as a Moldovan minority. The Moldovan language is recognized as one of the three official languages, along with Russian and Ukrainian, but the use of the Cyrillic alphabet remains compulsory, as was the case during the time of the USSR. In Moldova, the Latin alphabet is used. Kickany Moldova
Victory Park at night, Tiraspol, October 2018
The Transnistrians underline their historical and cultural belonging to the Russian universe, one of the reasons why they decided to separate from Moldova. The latter, with the fall of the USSR, wanted to get closer to Romania and the Latin world. However, in Transnistria the memory of bestial behaviour, displayed by pro-Nazi Romanian soldiers during World War II, is still very much alive. Tiraspol Moldova
