MOSCOW REINFORCES TRANSDNIESTR FORCE.

MOSCOW REINFORCES TRANSDNIESTR FORCE.

Three hundred freshconscripts from Russia arrived in Tiraspol July 8 for a two-yearterm of service with Russia´s "limited troop contingent"stationed there, Russian and Moldovan agencies report. This isthe first time since Moldova became independent that Russian forcesthere have been reinforced from Russia itself. The new commanderof the Russian troops in the region, Maj.-General Valerii Yevnevich,said that conscripts from Russia would continue to arrive in thefuture. The contingent’s chief military inspector, Maj.-GeneralStepan Kitsak, told the conscripts that they have arrived "onRussian land and their mission is to defend Russia here,"Basapress reported. Meanwhile Yevnevich has also announced thestart of the destruction in place of the ex-Soviet explosives(but not armaments) stored locally, a large part of which arepast expiration date and have become a hazard.

Moscow Presses Baku to Join CIS Air Defense Pact.