An interesting take on why the provocation in Transnistria.
[halturnerradioshow.com]
I remember that before Hitler gave Stalin permission to annex Moldavia it was all part of Romania. But he wanted to use the stick of invasion by neighbors to get Romania in line with the Nazi cause. So Northern and Northeastern Romania went to Hungary, Moldavia went to Russia and a sliver of the South went to Bulgaria. Weird how the borders were never restored after Hitler lost.