Transnistria is a region that considers itself an independent country but is internationally recognized to be part of Moldova. The region has a population of about 400,000 people and is a bit smaller than the state of Delaware.
During the reign of the USSR, Transnistria was part of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. But after the Soviet Union disintegrated, the region of Transnistria did not want to become part of Moldova or Ukraine and proclaimed its independence.
Moldova, however, did not accept this and invaded the breakaway territory in March 1992. Transnistria, which the help of volunteers from Russia and Ukraine, fought back until July 1992, when a ceasefire was signed.
As a result, Transnistria is defacto-independent. To monitor the ceasefire, Russia sent peacekeeping troops to Transnistria which are still present to this day.
But even today, almost 30 years later, Transnistria is only recognized by three other unrecognized or partially recognized states: Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Artsakh.
