These days we mark 27 years since the Tighina Battle, the most violent clashes between the Moldovan troops and the Transnistrian separatists backed by the Russian army during the 1992 Nistru War took place, writes radiochisinau.md.

The Moldovan forces controlled almost the entire city reaching the Nistru river at a certain moment, but the battle ended with the intervention of the Russian military on behalf of the Transnistrian separatists, and the balance of power changed. On June 19, there was an attack by the Transnistrian guardians and Cossacks on the Moldovan police in Tighina. Police officers managed to stay firm, and late in the night they were helped by police and volunteer detachments from Varniţa. On June 20, in the morning, the city was mostly under the control of the Moldovan troops. Tanks of the 14th Army of the Russian Federation tried to force the bridge from Tiraspol to Tighina, but were stopped by Moldovan forces. This was the start of the bloody battles started throughout the Nistru War. Tighina was gunned down for 2 days, on June 20 and 21.

On June 19, there was an attack by the Transnistrian guardians and Cossacks on the Moldovan police in Tighina. Police officers managed to stay firm, and late in the night they were helped by police and volunteer detachments from Varniţa. On June 20, in the morning, the city was mostly under the control of the Moldovan troops. Tanks of the 14th Army of the Russian Federation tried to force the bridge from Tiraspol to Tighina, but were stopped by Moldovan forces. This was the start of the bloody battles started throughout the Nistru War. Tighina was gunned down for 2 days, on June 20 and 21.

Also, neighboring settlements were attacked. Volunteers who put their lives at risk to defend the integrity of the Republic of Moldova played an important role in the Tighina battles: “The first day was dreadful. We’ve reached the bridge. The next day we were waiting for the tanks to come, there were no tanks on the first day. But the tanks were already in Tighina, hidden in state enterprises. It was a tough fight. We fought with the 14th Army, with the Russian army, which provoked this war”, remembers Sergiu Caracai, president of the Volunteers’ Union in Moldova. Finally, the Russian and Transnistrian troops managed to force the bridge and to enter the city. It is estimated that about 200 Moldovan soldiers and civilians died and another 300 were injured in the Tighina battles.

Source: radiochisinau.md

Photo: Unirea-ODIP