On 26 April 2022, the Moldovan government put its security forces on alert following reports of three explosions in the Russia-backed breakaway region of Trans-Dniester since the previous day. Officials in the region claim that two blasts on 26 April damaged radio antennas in the town of Maiac — located about 12 km (7 mi) from the Ukraine border — while another blast targeted the state security service’s headquarters in the city of Tiraspol the previous day. There were no reports of casualties, and no one has claimed responsibility for the blasts. In response, a state of emergency has been declared in the breakaway region — where approximately 1,500 Russian troops are stationed — and military checkpoints are in place at city entrances. The latest developments in Trans-Dniester have raised concerns that it could be an attempt by Russia or other entities  to heighten tensions between the breakaway region and the Moldovan government.