After the disbandment of the Soviet Union in 1991, Moldova was able to declare its independence as a sovereign state. This official separation from Russia led to conflict in Moldova’s region of Transnistria, since Transnistria’s ethnic and linguistic composition was notably different from the rest of the nation. Policies enacted by the Moldovan government, such as the elimination of Russian as a state language only heightened tension. A conflict eventually sprouted between Pro-Russia insurgents and pro-Moldova groups that involved forces from Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, Russia, and Transnistria. Hundreds were
killed until it ended in a 1992 peace agreement. However, the presence of Russian troops in the territory allowed the pro-Russian separatists to seize and maintain control of the region leading to an ongoing ‘frozen conflict’. The frozen nature of the conflict means that while there is presently no violence occurring, there still exists the unresolved issue of Transnistria’s statehood.