Military observer Oleksandr Kovalenko discussed the issue, Obozrevatel reports.Ukrainian military intelligence has detected a significant uptick in Russian covert activities within Transnistria, the pro-Moscow breakaway region of Moldova, signaling a potential shift in threats facing Ukraine's southwestern border.According to sources within Ukraine's Main Directorate of Intelligence, Russian operatives have intensified mobilization efforts in the self-declared "Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic," calling up reservists and activating weapons stockpiles. More concerning, authorities report the establishment of drone manufacturing facilities and training centers for UAV operators within the territory.The Russian military presence in Transnistria remains relatively modest, with approximately 1,700 troops stationed across key installations including ammunition depots, airfields, and motor rifle battalions. The region's own armed formations number between 7,500 and 8,000 personnel. Military hardware is limited and largely outdated, consisting of roughly 11 operational tanks, 150 armored vehicles in varying states of repair, and about 60 artillery pieces.Ukrainian defense analysts assess that the military assets currently positioned in Transnistria would be insufficient to mount a credible conventional invasion of the neighboring Odesa region. Any attempted incursion would likely be neutralized within days, potentially spelling disaster for the breakaway territory itself.However, the real danger lies not in direct military confrontation but in hybrid warfare tactics. Ukrainian officials warn that Transnistria could serve as a staging ground for sabotage operations along Ukraine's extended border. The reported training of FPV drone operators raises particular alarm, as such capabilities could facilitate terrorist attacks and diversionary strikes in border zones.Intelligence assessments suggest operatives trained in Transnistria might be deployed not only for cross-border harassment but also infiltrated into rear areas of the Odesa region or even the city of Odesa itself. This evolving threat has remained at an elevated "yellow" alert level throughout most of Russia's invasion, having only reached critical "red" status during the initial days of the February 2022 assault.The development poses a difficult strategic question for Ukrainian leadership: how should Kyiv respond if Tiraspol, under pressure from Moscow, escalates its covert war against Ukraine? For now, that question remains unanswered as officials monitor the situation closely.