Putin decorates Transnistria separatist leader; Moldova plans five-year exit ban on him

Award in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin presented Vadim Krasnoselski, leader of the separatist administration in Tiraspol, with the Order of Honour of the Russian Federation on 4 November 2026. The ceremony took place in the Catherine Hall of the Senate Palace in Moscow, during celebrations of Russia's National Unity Day. In the Kremlin's published recording, Putin introduced Krasnoselski as president of the 'Moldovan Transnistrian Republic', a entity Russia does not officially recognise. In his own remarks, Krasnoselski said Transnistria is part of the great homeland and that the Russian world means life. Deutsche Welle reported that Krasnoselski left Moldova together with his wife, his daughter and his bodyguards, and that only the bodyguards hold return tickets, a detail it attributed to very reliable sources in Chișinău.

Chișinău calls it a provocation

Moldova's Bureau for Reintegration condemned the trip as a Russian provocation designed to block the country's European integration. The Bureau said the visit to Moscow came during OSCE-facilitated talks on natural gas supply to the Transnistrian region over the winter. Under a mechanism introduced on 1 August 2022, separatist officials must notify Chișinău and obtain prior permission from the Moldovan government before leaving the country, and Moldovan authorities say they allowed this trip for those talks. Prime Minister Vasile Tofan criticised the visit at a press conference devoted to the government's first 100 days in office.

Tofan argued that Moscow wants to provoke Moldova and that Krasnoselski had already made plans to stay in Russia with his family.

“Russia wants to provoke us. It is setting a trap for us.”

Tofan said Moldova had chosen a different, asymmetric response, telling Krasnoselski to return to Tiraspol and imposing a five-year ban on him.

Five-year ban and reactions

The Bureau said that on Krasnoselski's return Moldova will apply restrictive measures, including a ban on leaving the national territory for five years. The Moldovan government said it will analyse possible response measures without escalating the situation. Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu described the award as an obvious provocation set against Moldova's firmer actions and its results on the path to European integration.

“The gesture made by the dictator towards this individual is an obvious provocation.”

Grosu said the restrictions, including the five-year exit ban, would be applied when Krasnoselski returns to Moldova. Deutsche Welle notes that Krasnoselski has neither Moldovan citizenship nor a residence permit, and that he holds Russian and Ukrainian citizenship. According to the same report, Moldovan law would have required his expulsion once his 90 days of stay on Moldovan territory expired.

Putin's remarks and the Transnistrian election

Putin praised the regional leadership in Moscow, saying the following about the republic under Krasnoselski.

“Despite difficult conditions and attempts at external pressure, the republic is developing consistently under his leadership.”

Digi24 reports that Putin also praised residents for defending historical truth and preserving the Russian language. Ziare.com reports that Krasnoselski's term as leader ends in a few months, with the Transnistrian presidential election scheduled for December 2026. The separatist camp backs Vitali Neagu, who currently serves as the region's vice-premier, as its candidate for that post.