Russia Continues Withdrawing Weapons From Transdniestria

Another 20-carriage echelon carrying approximately 400 tons of ammunition was sent from Transdniestria to Russia on Thursday early morning, the Headquarters of the Operative Group of the Russian Army disclosed to a RIA Novosti correspondent.

This year Transdniestria has already sent to Russia 14 echelons, 5 of them with ammunition /three echelons were sent in January, six in March, and five in April/.

Russian Deputy Defence Minister, General Vladimir Isakov has expressed his satisfaction with the process of weapons withdrawal from Transdniestria. This week he visited the region and discussed the problem with Head of the OSCE mission to Moldova William Hill and Transdniestria's leader Igor Smirnov.

Though the withdrawal is being conducted without any delays, the Russian military have not yet got down to the most difficult task - utilisation of outdated ammo.

According to experts, approximately one third of ammunition stored in the Russian Army warehouses near the Kolbasnoye village, 120 north of Tiraspol, cannot be transported as its storage period has expired.

However, experts from Russia, Transdniestria and the OSCE have not yet agreed on the terms of utilising this ammunition.