[RPG] War in Transnistria (1992)

Cities and Key Strategic Nodes (Spring-Summer Campaign):
Bender (June-July 1992): The bloodiest and most brutal battle of the war. Moldovan armed forces entered the city with armored support, seeking to establish complete control over a key junction on the right bank of the Dniester. Fighting raged for every block, the city hall building, and the bridge. The defense was held by Transnistrian guards, Black Sea Cossacks, and workers' militia units. The turning point came with the intervention of units of the 14th Russian Army, led by General Lebed, who forced the parties to peace.
Dubasari (March - July 1992): A key strategic hub in the center of the republic, it was subjected to regular assaults and artillery shelling. Fierce fighting erupted at the Rogov fork and the hydroelectric dam. Moldovan security forces attempted to bisect Transnistria and cut the main transport artery between Kamenka and Tiraspol, but local self-defense forces held the line.
Bridgeheads and villages in the bend of the Dniester

(Spring Campaign):
Cocieri (March 1992): One of the first major clashes of the full-scale phase of the conflict. Fighting began after Moldovan police seized a civil defense regiment. The Transnistrian Guard's retaliatory operation to rescue the officers' families escalated into the establishment of a strong defensive line. The village and the adjacent bridgehead became the scene of a protracted trench war.
Koshnitsa (March - May 1992): A crucial bridgehead in a river bend. Moldovan formations dug in at the Koshnitsa fork, posing a constant threat of a breakthrough deep into the left bank. The defense of these positions was accompanied by intense artillery barrages, heavy mortar fire, and frequent raids by sabotage and reconnaissance groups.

Specific camouflage patterns: One of the first signature patterns of the Guard and TSO was the unique local camouflage pattern "Transnistrian Butane," which was urgently produced at the Odema sewing factory in Tiraspol beginning in April 1992. The fabric was used both for field uniforms and homemade load-bearing vests. At the same time, soldiers were still wearing Soviet camouflage suits (KZS, KLMK "Berezka") and standard army cotton "Afghanka" (Afganka). Many militiamen and Cossacks fought in ordinary civilian clothes or work jackets with armbands.
Minimal body armor: Unlike regular units, body armor and helmets were in severe shortage in the PMR Guard. Heavy armor was practically nonexistent—the basic equipment consisted of old Soviet 6B2, 6B3, and 6B5 series helmets, looted from the 14th Army's warehouses. The head was protected by classic SSh-60 or SSh-68 steel helmets, but due to supply shortages, many soldiers went into street fighting without helmets, making do with field caps, Kubanka hats, or baseball caps.
Equipment: There were virtually no proper standard unloading systems. Soviet canvas magazine pouches on the belt were used. The acute shortage was mitigated by locally produced bibs ("bras" made in Dubossary and Bendery), made from thick burlap or camouflage fabric.

Assault rifles and rifles: The mainstay of the small arms arsenal consisted of the AK-74, AKS-74, and AKS-74U assault rifles in 5.45mm caliber, as well as old stocks of AKMs chambered for 7.62mm cartridges. SVD sniper rifles were actively used for pinpoint suppression of enemy fire positions in street fighting.
Short-barreled weapons: Officers and detachment commanders were armed with Makarov pistols (PM), which were confiscated when local police departments were reassigned or captured from military warehouses.
Heavy weapons: The units' firepower was reinforced by PKM and RPK-74 machine guns and heavy large-caliber NSV "Utes" machine guns.

Due to the abundance of armored vehicles on the Moldovan side, the PMR guards relied heavily on RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launchers and RPG-18 "Mukha" disposable grenade launchers. GP-25 underbarrel grenade launchers proved a real lifesaver in urban combat in Bendery. The defenders also welded armor plates onto civilian KrAZ and KamAZ trucks and tractors, turning them into improvised armored vehicles.

Urban defense and ambushes:
Street ambushes in densely populated areas: During the battle for Bender, Transnistrian guards and militias exploited their familiarity with the terrain. Moldovan advance groups, entering the city in armored vehicles (APCs, BMPs), were lured into narrow streets and intersections. Transnistrian fighters dispersed into basements and the second and third floors of buildings, cutting off infantry with small arms fire and targeting the lead and rear vehicles with RPG-7s.
Focal defense of fortified points: Since there was no continuous front line in the cities, the guardsmen converted key administrative and industrial buildings (the workers' committee, the city executive committee in Bender) into autonomous fortresses. Inside, they created ring-shaped fields of fire, barricaded the lower floors, and mined or blocked passages with improvised means. The soldiers held these points for days until reinforcements or heavy equipment arrived.
Positional warfare on the bridgeheads:
Countering cutting attacks: In the Dubossary direction and in the Kochnitsa Bend area, Moldovan forces outnumbered the PMR in regular armored vehicles and artillery. The Guards and Cossacks' tactics boiled down to a rigid, positional defense at key road junctions (for example, the Rogov Fork). The soldiers created a network of deep trenches, caponiers for improvised equipment, and dugouts, intercepting any enemy attempts to break through to the highway and cut the republic in half with machine gun and anti-tank fire.
Mine warfare and secrets: In the dense coastal vegetation ("greenery") along the Dniester, guardsmen actively deployed hidden combat outposts (secrets). Approaches to positions along the likely advance routes of Moldovan sabotage groups were heavily mined with Soviet POMZ-2 antipersonnel mines and tripwires based on F-1 and RGD-5 grenades.
Maneuverable warfare and technical improvisation:
Stray Firepower: Due to a severe shortage of conventional artillery, the PMR defenders mounted heavy machine guns and anti-tank rifles on pickups or trucks

Civilian style and work clothes: Unlike the Guard, the People's Militia and the Territorial Rescue Units (TRU) wore virtually no camouflage. Most of the militiamen stormed and defended Bender in ordinary civilian clothes, tracksuits, or heavy factory overalls. Armbands (usually red, green, or white) served as identification. TRU fighters sometimes received camouflage uniforms or black overalls, but mostly equipped themselves from personal supplies.
A complete lack of body armor: The militia fought without body armor or helmets. SSh-68 steel helmets were issued only in exceptional cases on the front lines. Urban structures, concrete blocks, and barriers served as protection. Instead of tactical vests, machine gun magazines were carried in the pockets of civilian jackets or in homemade cloth bags sewn by the militiamen's wives at home.

Shortage of small arms: Initially, the militia suffered a catastrophic shortage of modern weapons. They used old SKS carbines, Mosin rifles, and TOZ-8 small-caliber rifles confiscated from DOSAAF and civil defense warehouses. Later, after the disarmament of local police departments and 14th Army warehouses, the militiamen en masse adopted Soviet AKM and AK-74 assault rifles. TSO fighters often armed themselves with PPSh and PPS-43 submachine guns, recovered from storage depots.
Short-barreled weapons: Due to a shortage of Makarov pistols, militiamen used award, captured, or hunting weapons. Old TT pistols and Nagant revolvers were especially prized for their reliability and simplicity.
Reinforcements and ersatz artillery: The militia was critically short of anti-tank weapons. Besides the rare RPG-7, fighters used Molotov cocktails and older anti-tank grenades. Due to the lack of heavy artillery, the militia and TSO showed ingenuity, creating homemade NURS launchers: S-8 unguided rocket pods were mounted on ZIL-131 and KrAZ vehicles.

Defense of enterprises and "factory fortresses":
Transformation of industrial zones into fortified areas: The militias, composed of workers from local enterprises (such as the Litmash, Elektromash, and BODK factories in Bender), knew the layout of their factories perfectly. The factories were transformed into powerful, autonomous resistance centers. The areas were sealed off with barricades of massive metal blanks, concrete slabs, machine frames, and heavy construction equipment. Permanent firing positions with 360-degree fire were set up in the workshops, which Moldovan light armored vehicles were unable to penetrate.
Engineered traps: Workers used factory resources to mine the approaches. Improvised explosive devices, guided landmines, and anti-tank hedgehogs, welded from thick channel steel and rails right in the workshops, were placed along likely enemy routes.
Workers' pickets and mobile control:
Deterrence at Entrances: During the initial period of the conflict, before full-scale combat erupted, the militia's tactics revolved around setting up 24-hour mobile pickets and checkpoints. The militiamen, often unarmed or armed with just one machine gun between three, blocked key bridges, roads, and entrances to cities, blocking the advance of Moldovan police with human shields and truck barriers.
Rapid Response Teams (TRT): TRT units acted as a mobile reserve. When enemy armored vehicles penetrated deep into residential areas, they quickly moved to the scene of combat, occupied key intersections, and set up ambushes in dense urban areas using grenade launchers and Molotov cocktails.
Counter-battery warfare and psychological pressure:
"Nomadic" ersatz MLRS: Since the militia lacked regular artillery, they resorted to surprise attacks using homemade NURS systems mounted on trucks. Such a vehicle would stealthily drive to a prepared position on the banks of the Dniester, fire a rapid salvo of unguided rockets at Moldovan positions, and then retreat.

Elements of traditional uniform: The Black Sea Cossacks of Transnistria actively used elements of traditional Cossack clothing, which made them stand out from other units. Kubanka (papakha) hats made of black or gray karakul with a red top were worn even in the summer heat, replacing helmets. Their field uniform consisted of black or blue cloth riding breeches with red stripes, tunics, kosovorotka shirts, or Soviet-style camouflage jackets.
Minimal protective gear: Cossacks went into battle with virtually no personal protective equipment. Body armor (mostly the old Soviet 6B3 or 6B5) was extremely rare and was seen by many as a nuisance, restricting movement in maneuverable combat. Standard army canvas magazine pouches for AK-47 rifles or homemade belt-mounted devices were used as load-bearing systems. The traditional Cossack saber and dagger (kama), worn on a belt, remained a symbolic element of their equipment, although in modern warfare these served more of a status function.

Machine guns and rifles: Initially, the revived Cossacks armed themselves with whatever they could obtain themselves. They used hunting rifles, SKS carbines, and smoothbore weapons. With the onset of full-scale fighting in Bender and Dubossary, the Cossacks received AKM and AK-74/AKS-74 assault rifles from the 14th Army's depots. Due to the specific nature of their operations (ambushes and holding forward positions), SVD sniper rifles were prized among the Cossacks, used for counter-sniper fire in the greenery along the Dniester.

The Cossack squads' firepower was enhanced by RPK-74 light machine guns and PKM general-purpose machine guns. To combat Moldovan armored vehicles, the Cossacks actively used RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launchers, as well as RPG-18 "Mukha" and RPG-22 disposable anti-tank rockets.

Maneuverable warfare in the "green zone" and raiding operations:
Ambushes in the coastal strip: Cossack hundreds were most active in the Dniester floodplain and dense coastal thickets ("greenery") in the Dubossary and Koshnitsa directions. With excellent navigation skills, the Cossacks split into small mobile groups (5-7 men) and set up ambushes along the routes of Moldovan regular units. They would allow the enemy to approach within striking distance, suddenly open fire on the column with automatic weapons and RPGs, and then immediately retreat deeper into the thicket, avoiding a protracted battle.
Night raids and sabotage: Cossacks made extensive use of night raids behind the front lines. Stealthily crossing the Dniester River by boat or by wading, sabotage groups attacked rear outposts, artillery positions, and supply depots of the Moldovan army. The goal of such raids was to destroy enemy personnel, capture prisoners, and disrupt the command and control of enemy forces.
Tough defense of the front lines:
"Holding Positions to the End": Along with raiding tactics, the Cossacks served as assault infantry, deployed to the most difficult sections of the front to plug gaps in the defense. In the battles for the Rogov Fork near Dubossary and at the Kocieri Bridgehead, the Cossacks dug into the ground, creating a network of deep, isolated trenches and foxholes. They held their positions under intense enemy artillery and mortar fire, demonstrating great fortitude and religious and patriotic motivation.
Hand-to-hand and close combat: Cossack tactics were characterized by a readiness for aggressive close combat. When storming enemy positions in trenches or fortified buildings in Bender, the Cossacks rapidly closed in on the enemy, using grenades, shortened AKS-74U assault rifles, and bladed weapons, which exerted powerful psychological pressure on the inexperienced Moldovan conscripts.

Motley uniforms: There was no standard uniform for Russian volunteers. Most fought in Soviet "Afghanka" field uniforms or VSR-93 ("vertical") and "Butan" camouflage uniforms, which they brought with them or purchased at markets. Cossack units combined camouflage jackets with traditional elements: Kubanka hats (headdresses) and black riding breeches with red stripes. Some arrived in civilian clothes.
Improvised protection: Body armor was in short supply. Afghan veterans and officers scrambled to obtain Soviet 6B3 or 6B5 series bulletproof vests. Head protection was provided by SSh-68 helmets. However, a significant number of volunteers went into battle without body armor.
Equipment: Standard Soviet canvas pouches were the standard equipment. Some brought back chest load-bearing systems like the "Poyas-A" from Russia, which were in short supply at the time and were left over from the Afghan War.

Basic arsenal: Volunteers received weapons on site, from PMR Guard depots, or through secret transfers from the 14th Russian Army depots. Their primary weapons were AK-74, AKS-74, and AKM assault rifles.
Sniper weapons: Russian volunteers with combat experience often served as snipers in the street battles of Bendery and in the trenches at the bridgeheads. The SVD rifle was their preferred weapon.

Reinforcements: Small strike groups of volunteers were actively supplied with RPK-74 and PKM light machine guns, as well as RPG-7 anti-tank grenade launchers and disposable "Flies" (RPG-18) for the rapid suppression of enemy firing points.

Maneuverable strike groups and urban cleanups:
Assault groups in urban combat: In Bender, Russian volunteers, especially Afghan veterans and former special forces soldiers, operated in small but heavily armed maneuver groups (10-15 men each). Their tactics revolved around rapid breakthroughs through residential areas. Instead of frontal assaults, the volunteers breached walls between buildings, moved through attics and basements, and flanked and rear Moldovan units. Fire positions in windows were suppressed with concentrated fire from PKM machine guns and RPG-18 Mukha disposable grenade launchers.
The "Layer Cake" Method: Due to the lack of a clear front line in the city, volunteers often used the tactic of combing and isolating blocks. One group engaged the enemy from the front, while the second would covertly circle the building, block the exits, and clear it floor by floor using F-1 and RGD-5 hand grenades.
Counter-sniper combat and positional attrition:
Hunting snipers in the greenery and industrial zones: The Moldovan side actively used trained marksmen to block the movement of PMR forces. Russian volunteers, consisting of professional soldiers, organized counter-sniper pairs (a sniper with an SVD and a spotter with an assault rifle). They spent hours setting up concealed false positions on rooftops, in silos, or in the dense vegetation along the Dniester River, luring the enemy with live bait, and eliminating firing positions from distances of up to 600–800 meters.
Night harassment raids: Volunteers effectively used the nighttime to demoralize the inexperienced Moldovan volunteers and conscripts. Small groups would stealthily advance toward enemy positions, open fire with automatic weapons and GP-25 underbarrel grenade launchers, causing panic and chaotic return fire, and then silently retreat. This wore down the Moldovan forces and caused them to waste ammunition.

Holding critical defense points:
Defense until reserves arrived: Russian volunteers, as the most resilient and disciplined elements, were often deployed to hold exposed front lines—bridges, road junctions, and bridgeheads (for example, near Kocieri and Dubossary). They created a competent system of crossfire, allocated sectors for RPGs, and held their positions even in the face of complete encirclement and intense artillery shelling, awaiting a counterattack by the PMR guards.

Regular Army Standard: Officers and soldiers were equipped strictly according to the regulations of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (and later the USSR). The primary uniform was the standard cotton "Afghanka" (summer and winter), as well as the VSR-93 camouflage suits ("vertical") and the Soviet "Butan" / "Dubok" camouflage.
Standard body armor: Unlike volunteers and militia, personnel were fully equipped with protective gear. 6B3 and 6B5 general-purpose body armor with titanium and ceramic armor plates, providing reliable protection against shrapnel and machine-gun bullets, was widely used. Head protection was provided by standard SSh-68 steel helmets.
Equipment: Standard Soviet shoulder belts, canvas pouches, bayonets, and army duffel bags (sidors) were used. Reconnaissance units and paratroopers had load-bearing vests and RD-54 backpacks.

The army was equipped with modern Soviet small arms of the time. The primary assault rifle was the AK-74 and its folding version, the AKS-74. Officers were armed with PM pistols and APS (Stechkin) automatic rifles. Squad and platoon units were armed with RPK-74 machine guns, PKM general-purpose machine guns, and SVD sniper rifles. Colossal stockpiles of mothballed weapons from the Great Patriotic War were also stored in warehouses.

Tank Fist: The main striking force consisted of T-64BV main battle tanks, equipped with Kontakt-1 dynamic protection systems. It was these tanks (often manned by Transnistrian crews or volunteer army officers) that stormed the Bendery bridge.
Tank with automatic gun, no loader
Light armored vehicles: Motorized rifle units traveled in BTR-70 and BTR-80 armored personnel carriers and BMP-1 (73mm cannon) and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles. They were armed with powerful automatic cannon and machine gun armament.
Devastating Artillery: It was the artillery of the 14th Army that ended the war. It had at its disposal 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzers, 122mm D-30 towed howitzers, and powerful BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems.

Defense of military camps and depots: At the initial stage of the conflict, constrained by orders from Moscow regarding "loose neutrality," the 14th Army employed tactics of rigid all-round defense of its deployment areas. Fully-fledged fortified areas were established around military units, vehicle depots, and gigantic ammunition depots (in Cobasna). Minefields and caponiers for T-64BV and BMP-2 tanks were laid, and the perimeter was covered by crossfire from heavy machine guns. Any attempts by Moldovan forces or radical PMR groups to seize weapons by force were thwarted with warning fire and, if necessary, liquidating fire.
Covert technical reinforcements (staged seizures): To support the Left Bank without a direct declaration of war, officers of the 14th Army employed the tactic of controlled equipment transfers. Tanks and armored personnel carriers were withdrawn to the outskirts of their units, where they were "blocked" by Transnistrian women or unarmed militia. The soldiers feigned a concession to the civilian population, handing over their equipment, which then went into battle for the PMR, often accompanied by "deserted" crews from the same Russian military personnel.
General Lebed's Doctrine of Decisive Suppression (July 1992):
Surgical Artillery Strikes: With the arrival of General Alexander Lebed, tactics shifted radically to a strategy of "peace enforcement" through maximum firepower. On the night of July 3, 1992, artillery from the 14th Army launched a massive preemptive strike against reconnoitered positions of Moldovan forces in the Gerbovetsky Forest. A concentrated fire strike from Akatsiya howitzers and Grad multiple launch rocket systems was used. The strikes were not aimed at residential areas, but rather at command posts, communication centers, artillery positions, and supply bases of Moldova, completely paralyzing enemy troop control and destroying its offensive potential within hours.
Separation of the opposing sides: After the fire defeat, the army used the armored wedge tactic.

Black berets and camouflage elements: UNA-UNSO fighters sought to stand out from other Left Bank units by emphasizing their organizational affiliation. Their signature look was their black berets, shifted to the left, with homemade cockades bearing the Ukrainian coat of arms (trident). UNA-UNSO soldiers fought primarily in Soviet-era "Butan"/"Dubok" camouflage or "Afghanka" field uniforms, which they brought with them from Ukraine.
Ideological symbols: The organization's chevrons were sewn onto the sleeves - a red-black or yellow-blue shield with an oblique cross (the so-called "Maltese" or Cossack cross of the UNSO).
Equipment: The units were practically never provided with body armor or helmets. Almost all volunteers went into battle without armor, relying on mobility. Magazines and grenades were carried in standard canvas pouches or commercial hunting vests.

The UNO soldiers did not bring any unique weapons across the border with them - they received their entire main arsenal on the spot from the warehouses of the PMR guard.

Autonomous Line Holding: The primary combat mission of the UNA-UNSO units in Transnistria was the defense of key positions in the Dubasari direction and in the Cocieri bridgehead area. The UNA-UNSO troops operated as highly disciplined infantry. They established extensive strongholds around their checkpoints: digging full-profile trenches, constructing camouflaged, covered slits, and dugouts. Their tactics relied on cutting off Moldovan infantry from armored vehicles with fire—the armored vehicles were knocked out with RPG-7s, after which the Moldovan infantry was pinned down by intense machine gun fire.
Establishing false positions: With their advanced tactical training, Ukrainian volunteers constructed false trenches and deployed helmeted dummies. This forced Moldovan artillery and mortars to waste ammunition while the UN forces themselves waited out the shelling in fortified shelters on the flanks.

Patrolling and clearing the Dniester floodplain: The Dubasari and Cocieri districts were teeming with dense riverine vegetation (greenery), through which Moldovan reconnaissance and sabotage groups (RSGs) attempted to penetrate the PMR forces' rear. UNSO units were divided into small search-and-strike groups (5-8 fighters each). They set up ambushes along likely enemy advance routes, organized nighttime stings, and intercepted Moldovan saboteurs in short-range firefights.
Minefields: UNS troops actively used the tactic of engineering minefields to line the approaches to their positions. They densely deployed tripwires with F-1 grenades and flares in copses and sunflower fields, thus preventing a surprise attack by Moldovan volunteers.

The blows are "hit and move away."

Tank Fist (T-64BV): The PMR forces had approximately 10-18 T-64BV main battle tanks, obtained from 14th Army soldiers who defected to the republic or during "staged captures." The tanks were distributed along key axes and used as powerful mobile firing points to break through Moldovan defenses, particularly during the unblocking of the Bendery Bridge.
Standard light armored vehicles: The PMR Guard's mobile armored groups were primarily composed of tracked BMP-1 (73mm Grom cannon) and BMP-2 (30mm 2A42 cannon), as well as wheeled BTR-60PB and BTR-70 armored personnel carriers. Wheeled vehicles were actively used for rapid infantry deployment and patrolling city outskirts, while the gun-equipped BMP-2 with a 30mm 2A42 automatic cannon was valued for its ability to effectively suppress enemy firing positions on the upper floors of buildings. BMD-1 airborne BMD-1 amphibious assault vehicles and MT-LB light armored tractors were also used, on which the Guards often mounted DShK or PKT machine guns.

Armored tractors and civilian special vehicles: Due to the acute shortage of factory-produced armored vehicles, the militia work units initially demonstrated colossal engineering ingenuity. Right in the workshops of the Litmash and Elektromash factories, K-700 and T-130 tracked tractors were clad in thick steel sheets (often in two layers with an air gap or sand between them), transforming them into assault pillboxes. Machine gun embrasures were cut into the sheets.
Armored trucks: Civilian dump trucks and KamAZ, KrAZ, and ZIL-131 trucks were converted into fully-fledged gun trucks. The cabins and troop compartments were covered with rolled steel plates salvaged from civilian buildings or protective screens. NSV "Utes" heavy machine guns or twin ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft mounts were mounted in the bodies.

Lacking full-fledged multiple launch rocket systems, the militia mounted B-8M1 unguided rocket units (NURS) on the chassis of ZIL-131 trucks.

Public Supplies and Factory Catering: Under the economic blockade and the lack of a centralized army rear, the supply of the guards, militia, and Cossacks fell entirely on the shoulders of local residents and businesses. At large factories in Tiraspol and Bender (such as Litmash and Elektromash), canteens were converted, where hot meals—porridge, soup, and stew—were centrally prepared. Women's workers' committees delivered thermoses and home-cooked food (homemade bread, pies, and vegetables) daily directly to forward checkpoints and trenches.
Dry rations and trophies: Russian volunteers and PMR guards also used old Soviet dry rations (rusks, canned food "Zavtrak tourista"), transferred from the warehouses of the 14th Army or seized from captured Moldovan units.

Trench life in the "green zone": In the Dubossary direction and the bridgeheads along the Dniester bend, soldiers lived for months in trenches, dugouts, and "fox holes." Due to the dampness of the coastal soil, the positions were constantly flooded, leading to colds. They constructed dugouts using whatever was available: they lined them with branches, reeds, and planks, and slept in sleeping bags or on army blankets.

City billeting in Bender: In the ruined city of Bender, Guard soldiers and Russian volunteers occupied the basements of apartment buildings, administrative buildings, kindergartens, and schools. Basements were especially valuable, as they provided protection from regular mortar and artillery shelling from Moldova. Beds were constructed from mattresses salvaged from abandoned apartments or wooden pallets.

Hygiene: Bathhouses were organized in shifts in the rear areas. At the front, soldiers washed with river water or brought water from flasks.
Ideological and cultural upsurge: The Orthodox faith played an important role in the PMR trenches and among the Cossacks—priests often visited the positions, holding prayers right in the dugouts. During lulls, Russian volunteers and militiamen sang songs to the accompaniment of a guitar (Afghan ballads were popular).

Black Berets and Camouflage: The Special Purpose Police Units (OPON) of the Moldovan Ministry of Internal Affairs had the most recognizable appearance among the forces on the Right Bank. Their signature feature was the black beret (less commonly, a cap) with a special badge in the form of the Moldovan coat of arms (an eagle with a shield). For field uniforms, OPON fighters widely adopted the Soviet "Butan"/"Dubok" camouflage, as well as plain dark green or gray-blue cotton police uniforms. Regular police units often fought in the standard gray uniform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Regular body armor: The Moldovan OPON was significantly better equipped with protective gear than the PMR militia. Police "ZhZL-74" body armor (made of aluminum scaly elements) and army 6B2/6B3 vests, inherited from the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs, were widely used. Head protection was provided by "Sfera" (STSh-81) titanium helmets, as well as standard SSh-68 steel helmets.
Equipment: Leather or canvas police shoulder straps, standard Soviet AK magazine pouches, and Makarov pistol holsters were used. Professional tactical vests were virtually nonexistent at the time.

The mainstay of the police and special forces small arms were the AK-74 and AKS-74 assault rifles, as well as the AKM. With the onset of active fighting, large quantities of PM md. 63/65 assault rifles (Romanian copies of the AKM with a distinctive integrated wooden foregrip) began arriving from Romania, becoming the standard issue weapon of the Moldovan forces.
OPON officers and operatives were normally armed with Makarov pistols (PM), but for street fighting, they generally preferred the APS pistol for its superior firepower. The police also had pump-action shotguns and special-purpose carbines (KS-23) for firing gas grenades, which were rarely used during the war.
The OPON units were equipped with SVD sniper rifles, RPK-74 light machine guns and PKM general-purpose machine guns.
Actively used under-barrel grenade launchers GP-25 and anti-tank grenade launchers RPG-7.

During the assault on Bender in June 1992, OPON and Moldovan police employed the tactics of a rapid mechanized strike. Taking advantage of the high mobility of wheeled armored personnel carriers (BTR-70, BTR-80) and light armored vehicles, police columns stormed the city from several directions at once. The goal was to immediately paralyze the command and control of the Transnistrian forces, seize key administrative facilities (the city executive committee, communications centers), and cut off the defenders from the Bender bridge, blocking the approach of reserves from Tiraspol.
Methodical clearing of neighborhoods: Relying on their superior armor (Sfera titanium helmets and flak jackets), OPON special forces units acted as classic urban assault teams. They advanced under the cover of armored personnel carriers, which suppressed window emplacements with machine gun fire. Police infantry teams cleared the buildings room by room, actively using hand grenades and Romanian PM md. 63 assault rifles at point-blank range.
Raids of sabotage and reconnaissance groups (RDG):
Terror in the rear and on communications: In the Dniester floodplain and coastal greenery, the Moldovan police relied heavily on small, professionally trained sabotage and rescue groups. Detachments were formed from OPON officers and former Soviet soldiers, who secretly crossed to the left bank. They set up ambushes on roads, blew up bridges, cut power lines, and carried out targeted raids on PMR militia checkpoints in the rear, aiming to sow panic in the rear of the Left Bank defenders.

Defending bridgeheads: In the Dubossary and Kocieri directions, having entrenched themselves in the bends of the Dniester, the police resorted to a brutal trench warfare. They created extensive networks of checkpoints, reinforced by caponiers for armored personnel carriers. The tactics boiled down to holding the flanks and luring the PMR forces into open spaces.

Standard Soviet Uniform: The Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova were created during the 1992 conflict, based on units of the Southwestern Front of the USSR Armed Forces and local military registration and enlistment offices. Soldiers and officers wore the standard "Afghanka" field uniform, as well as VSR-93 camouflage suits and the Soviet "Butan"/"Dubok" camouflage pattern. Helmets and caps bore a cockade with the Moldovan coat of arms, and sleeve patches with a shield in the national colors.
Well-equipped: The regular army, unlike the PMR militia, received Soviet 6B2, 6B3, and 6B5 series general-purpose body armor with titanium and ceramic plates from depots. The primary protection was provided by SSh-68 steel army helmets.
Equipment: Standard army shoulder belt equipment, canvas pouches for AK magazines, gas mask bags, bayonet knives and Soviet duffel bags ("sidors") were used.

The army was equipped with Soviet small arms, inherited from withdrawing or reassigned Soviet units, as well as supplies from Romania. The primary assault rifles were the AK-74/AKS-74, AKM, and AKMS. Romanian PM md. 63/65 assault rifles with wooden foregrips were also widely used. At the squad level, RPK-74 machine guns, PKM general-purpose machine guns, and SVD sniper rifles were used. Officers were armed with PM pistols.

Light and medium armor: The core of the armored forces consisted of BMD-1 airborne combat vehicles, BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles (with a 73mm "Grom" cannon), BTR-70 and BTR-80 armored personnel carriers, and BRDM-2 armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicles. The Moldovan Armed Forces had virtually no tanks at the time (single captured vehicles were used), so light tracked vehicles (BMDs and BMPs) were often used in place of tanks to assault positions. Romanian TAB-71 armored personnel carriers were also used.
Regular artillery: The Moldovan Armed Forces' main trump card against the PMR militia. The army had a powerful artillery force: 122mm D-30 howitzers, 152mm D-20 gun-howitzers, MT-12 Rapira anti-tank guns, and 82mm and 120mm mortars.

Full-scale combined arms attacks: Unlike the police, the Moldovan Armed Forces operated according to the classic Soviet doctrine of large formations. During the assault on Bender and attempts to cut through the Left Bank near Dubasari, the army used massive tank and mechanized columns. Tracked BMP-1, BMP-2, and BMD-1 infantry fighting vehicles advanced on a broad front, covered by armored personnel carriers, attempting to push through the PMR Guard's defensive lines using the firepower of 30mm automatic cannons and heavy machine guns.
Infantry support for armor: Army infantry (conscripts and volunteers) advanced directly behind the vehicles, using them as a mobile shield. The tactic was based on suppressing street barriers with direct fire from the infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), followed by securing the infantry's position in the captured positions.
Massive artillery shelling and positional suppression:
Barrage: Artillery was the Moldovan Armed Forces' primary tool for destroying the PMR's defenses. Before each offensive attempt on the bridgeheads (Cosnita, Cocieri), a protracted artillery and mortar barrage was conducted using 122mm D-30 howitzers and 152mm D-20 guns. The fire was directed at areas with the aim of destroying Cossack trenches, disrupting communication centers, and demoralizing the militia.
Counter-battery fire: Army artillery crews methodically hunted for the Transnistrians' "roving" mortars and makeshift NURS launchers. Using forward spotters, the Moldovan Armed Forces quickly covered the areas from which the right bank was being shelled.

Engineering blocking: When retreating or securing positions, army engineering units used the tactics of quickly mining roads and constructing anti-tank ditches to prevent surprise raids by Transnistrian gun trucks and captured T-64BV tanks.

Uniform and equipment:
Motley crew and Soviet legacy: In 1992, the Moldovan Air Force was based on the assets of the 86th Guards Naval Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Black Sea Fleet (Marculesti airfield), inherited from the USSR. Pilots and technical personnel wore standard Soviet flight uniforms: blue or sand-colored demi-season flight suits (overalls and jackets), leather "chevrettes" jackets, and ZSh-5 or ZSh-7 protective helmets.
Improvised insignia: Due to the anarchy that reigned in the first months, there was no standardized insignia. Moldovan insignia (blue, yellow, and red circles or "gear" cockades) were painted over Soviet stars directly in aircraft depots using commercial automotive paints. During the first combat sorties over Bender, fighters flew without insignia, with Soviet stars hastily painted over with gray paint.
Ground units: Airfield technical support units and air defense security units wore the Afghanka army field uniform *, using 6B2 lightweight body armor and standard SSh-68 helmets.

Fighter fist: The main asset and striking force of the Moldovan Air Force became the 31 supersonic MiG-29 fighters (modifications "9-12" and "9-13"), which came under its jurisdiction,* as well as 3 MiG-29UB combat training "twins". The aircraft themselves had outstanding characteristics, but Moldova faced an acute shortage of pilots.
Transport aviation: One military transport aircraft An-26 was used for the transportation of cargo and supplies.
Helicopter fleet: The Air Force had at its disposal 4 Mi-8 transport helicopters and 4 heavy Mi-26 helicopters (which were practically never used in combat due to the difficulty of maintenance), as well as several light Mi-2s.
Bomb armament: For strikes against ground targets (in particular, the Bendery bridge and the village of Parkany), the MiG-29s were equipped with Soviet OFAB-250 high-explosive fragmentation bombs. Each aircraft could carry up to six of these bombs.
GSh-30-1
R-23 V-V
R-73 V-V.

Bombing strategic infrastructure: The primary tactical objective of the Moldovan Air Force was the disruption of Transnistria's logistics routes. In June 1992, a pair of MiG-29 fighters were sent to bomb the bridge across the Dniester River connecting Tiraspol and Bender. The goal was to cut off the PMR's right-bank guard group from supplies and reinforcements. Due to the pilots' lack of experience in ground attack, the OFAB-250 bombs were dropped from high altitude; the bridge was undamaged, but a residential area in Parcani was damaged. Subsequently, the fighters were used for pinpoint strikes against identified PMR heavy artillery and armored vehicle positions in the bridgeheads.
Low-altitude flights without identification: Fearing countermeasures from the Russian 14th Army's air defenses, Moldovan pilots employed stealthy approaches. The aircraft flew at extremely low altitudes (hidden behind terrain and riverbeds), with their identification markings hastily painted over so as to prevent visual or radar identification until the bombs were dropped.
Helicopter logistics and supply:
Emergency evacuation and reinforcement deployment: The Moldovan Air Force's few Mi-8 transport helicopters were used to provide operational support to ground forces in isolated bridgeheads (Cosnita, Cocieri). The helicopters carried out raids bypassing enemy air defense zones. They delivered ammunition, medical supplies, and fresh OPON units to the front lines, and on return flights, they evacuated seriously wounded soldiers to hospitals in Chisinau. Flights were conducted primarily at dusk or at extremely low altitudes "above the treetops."
Aerial reconnaissance: Light Mi-2 helicopters were used to patrol the right bank of the Dniester and conduct visual reconnaissance. Pilots recorded the movements of PMR armored vehicles and makeshift gun trucks, transmitting coordinates to Moldovan ground artillery.

Civilian style and militia chaos: Unlike the OPON and the regular army, volunteers on the right bank of Moldova had virtually no centralized supply system. Most went to the front in ordinary civilian clothes, tracksuits, work jackets, or old Soviet overcoats. Those who were lucky received plain gray or green cotton clothing from civil defense depots. The only mass identification marks were armbands in the national colors (blue, yellow, and red) on their sleeves or headdresses.
A complete lack of body armor: Volunteers fought without body armor or helmets. Army SSh-68 helmets were issued only to a few at the most dangerous front lines in Bendery. Soldiers carried machine gun magazines and loose ammunition in the pockets of their civilian jackets, tucked under their shirts, or in homemade cloth bags and hunting cartridge belts.

Hunting rifles and old arsenal: At the initial stage of the conflict, in the spring of 1992, volunteers experienced a severe shortage of automatic weapons. They used smoothbore and rifled hunting weapons confiscated from the population and from the warehouses of sports organizations, as well as small-caliber TOZ-8 rifles, SKS carbines, and old Mosin rifles.
Romanian supplies and Soviet warehouses: The situation changed with the onset of full-scale street fighting, when Chisinau opened military warehouses and established supplies from Romania. Romanian PM md. 63 assault rifles, as well as Soviet AKM and AK-74 assault rifles, became the weapons of choice for the volunteers.
Short-barreled weapons: Pistols were extremely rare. Volunteer unit commanders used award-winning TT pistols, Nagant revolvers, or rare Makarov pistols (PM) confiscated from rural police stations.
Support weapons: Volunteer units had virtually no heavy weapons. Volunteers supplemented their firepower with RPK-74 light machine guns and rare PKM general-purpose machine guns, distributed from army reserves. Molotov cocktails and RPG-7s were used against armored vehicles.

Positional defense of villages and human shield:
Holding forward checkpoints: At the initial stage of the conflict, in the spring of 1992, the Moldovan volunteers' tactics were defensive. Lacking sufficient automatic weapons, they set up improvised checkpoints at the entrances to right-bank villages. Barricades were constructed from sandbags, logs, and agricultural machinery. Armed with hunting rifles and SKS carbines, the volunteers blocked the advance of the Transnistrian Guard, holding their positions until professional OPON units arrived.
Focal defense in river bends: At the Cocieri and Coşniţi bridgeheads, volunteer units dug in on the outskirts of populated areas. Their tactics consisted of creating simple rifle cells and foxholes along the roads to prevent the PMR armored vehicles from penetrating deep into right-bank Moldova.
Guerrilla actions in the green zone and street battles:
Ambushes on communication lines: With intimate knowledge of the terrain on the right bank, the volunteers operated effectively in the forests and floodplains of the Dniester River (greenery). Small groups (5-10 people) ambushed PMR supply columns. They brought trucks or makeshift armored vehicles within close combat range, pelted them with Molotov cocktails, and opened rapid fire with Romanian PM md. 63 assault rifles, after which they quickly disappeared into the undergrowth.

Small-group street fighting: During the assault on Bender, volunteer units acted as the second line of the sweep, following the regular units and riot police. They combed residential areas, took up defensive positions in captured buildings, and fired from windows and attics, attempting to hinder the maneuvers of the Transnistrian militia.

Use of civilian transport: Due to the lack of regular armored personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles, Moldovan volunteers massively requisitioned civilian cars, trucks, and buses to increase their mobility. Using these vehicles, they quickly transported reinforcements to exposed areas of the front.

Lack of a tank force: Unlike the PMR, the Moldovan Armed Forces in 1992 had virtually no main battle tanks. Reliance was placed on light tracked vehicles, which were used instead of tanks to break through the guards' defensive lines.
Tracked armored vehicles: The main infantry strike vehicles were the Soviet BMD-1 airborne combat vehicles and the BMP-1 (equipped with a 73-mm Grom cannon) and BMP-2 (equipped with 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannons) infantry fighting vehicles, inherited from units of the Southwestern Direction of the USSR Armed Forces.
Wheeled armored personnel carriers: For patrols and rapid breakthroughs, the police, special forces, and the army made extensive use of Soviet BTR-70 and BTR-80 armored personnel carriers, as well as BRDM-2 light reconnaissance vehicles. TAB-71 armored personnel carriers, Romanian licensed copies of the Soviet BTR-60, were particularly prominent, supplied en masse by Bucharest as part of military-technical assistance.

Towed and self-propelled artillery: Moldova's main technical advantage in the initial stages. Right Bank forces possessed powerful Soviet D-20 (152mm) howitzers and D-30 (122mm) howitzers, which fired from indirect positions on the right bank. Anti-tank defense was provided by high-precision 100mm MT-12 Rapira guns. Soviet 82mm and 120mm mortars were actively used at the battalion level.
Rocket artillery: In the later stages of the conflict, the Moldovan army deployed 9K51 Grad MLRS (on the Ural-375D chassis), firing salvoes at fortified areas and crossings in the PMR.

Centralized Army Catering: In the Moldovan Armed Forces, which were based on regular Soviet units, catering was organized according to the classic army model. Field kitchens (PAK-200, KP-130) were deployed in rear areas and at supply bases. Soldiers regularly received hot meals—porridge (barley, buckwheat) with stewed meat, soups, and tea.
Volunteer supplies and shortages: Police units, special forces, and especially volunteer squads frequently encountered supply shortages. Their livelihoods largely depended on local residents of right-bank villages and humanitarian aid. Village councils organized food collections, women baked bread and delivered homemade food (mamaliga, feta cheese, vegetables) directly to checkpoints. Soviet-era dry rations were widely used on the front lines.
Living conditions on the front lines:
Trench life at the bridgeheads: At the Cocieri and Coşniţi bridgeheads, Moldovan soldiers held their positions for months in the damp coastal zone of the Dniester. Trenches and dugouts were reinforced with logs and sandbags. Due to spring rains and the proximity of the river, the fortifications often flooded. Soldiers slept on wooden platforms covered with straw or in sleeping bags.
Quartering in Bender: During urban fighting, police and special forces occupied surviving buildings on the outskirts and streets of the city under their control. Basements, kindergartens, and administrative buildings were converted into strongholds and recreation areas. Residential basements were prioritized, as they provided reliable protection from constant shelling by the Transnistrian guard and makeshift NURS launchers.

Morale: The mood in the trenches varied greatly. OPON fighters and volunteers were highly motivated by nationalist patriotism, fueled by the idea of ​​Moldovan independence. Meanwhile, stress levels among young regular army conscripts, thrown into brutal combat without much training, were extremely high. In quiet moments, the fighters socialized, wrote letters home, and listened to the radio.