Moldova’s frozen conflict with Russian-backed breakaway region Transnistria

Russia’s foreign ministry has issued a not so veiled threat to the government of Moldova – accusing them of fostering an “off-the-scale degree of Russophobia” – encouraged by their Western allies.

Moldova has been in a “frozen conflict” for the last 30 years with a breakaway region called Transnistria, which is backed by the Russians who have 1,500 troops there.

Like many countries of the former soviet union, the tiny Eastern European nation has come under intense pressure from Moscow since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Our international correspondent Joe Inwood travelled to the country to see if this cold war could turn hot once more.