"The Kiev regime has intensified preparations for the invasion of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR). As previously reported, this provocation of the Ukrainian armed forces will be carried out in response to the alleged offensive of Russian troops from the territory of Transnistria," the statement said.
Russia currently sees a significant buildup of Ukrainian troops at the border with Transnistria, according to the ministry.
"Russia currently sees a significant accumulation of personnel and military equipment of Ukrainian units near the Ukrainian-Pridnestrovian border, the deployment of artillery in firing positions, as well as an unprecedented increase in flights of unmanned aircraft of the Ukraine's armed forces of Ukraine over the territory of Transnistria," the ministry said.
Ukraine's actions pose a direct threat to Russia's peacekeeping contingent in the republic, so the Russian military will provide an adequate reaction to this provocation.
"The implementation of the planned provocation by the Ukrainian authorities poses a direct threat to the Russian peacekeeping contingent legally deployed in Transnistria. The Russian armed forces will adequately respond to the upcoming provocation by the Ukrainian side," the ministry stressed.
Earlier, the defense ministry detailed that Ukrainian forces intended to clad themselves in Russian uniforms as a pretext for the PMR invasion, underscoring that authorities were closely monitoring the situation. Officials previously noted that the Azov nationalistic battalion (recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia) would be taking part in the provocation.