Transdniester leader says region ready to join Russian Federation

Transndniester is ready to join the Russian Federation, the leader of the breakaway region east of Moldova Republic has said. Igor Smirnov said that the self-proclaimed republic had no intention to follow a policy of closing ties with the Republic of Moldova, RBK reports.

He recalled the results of a 2006 referendum when 97.2% of voters said they supported independence and the eventual accession of Transdniester in the Russian Federation.

Smirnov said authorities in Tiraspol – the capital of the region – would accept a dialogue with Moldova only after the election of a new president in the country.