Unrecognised Transnistria has asked Russia to increase the number of so-called Russian "peacekeepers," citing an increase in security risks.

The head of the "mission" of the pseudo-republic in Russia, Leonid Manakov, made this statement in an interview with the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

Manakov said that currently, there are no more than 450 "peacekeepers" in the so-called security zone in Transnistria, and he called to increase the mission size.

"Their authorised strength, established by the commission's documents, is 3,100 personnel. Such an option exists and is justified in terms of worsening security risks, including terrorist threats, and is legally substantiated by the documents adopted within the framework of the Joint Control Commission," Manakov said.

In February, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed that Ukrainian forces were supposedly planning an armed provocation in Transnistria (Ukr) soon. The authorities of Moldova and Ukraine denied this.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also stated that an attack on Transnistria would be an attack on Russia.

Moldova regularly calls on Russia to withdraw its so-called "Russian peacekeepers" from its territory but Russia refuses.

In April, Moldova reported a security breach (Ukr) by the so-called Russian peacekeeping contingent.