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I want you to close your eyes and imagine a place caught between two worlds. It's known as

Transnistria. Technically, this is part of Moldova. But in reality, Transnistria's got its own

currency, the rubel. It's even got its own flag emblazoned with a hammer and a sickle.

Well, Transnistria is this odd place that kind of in a way feels probably like an enclave of a Soviet

union. Monika Bronszuk has been reporting about Moldova and Transnistria for the New York Times.

Transnistria runs along the edge of Moldova. It's strategically important right now because it is

pressed up next to Ukraine. On a map, Moldova sort of looks like Ukraine's missing puzzle piece.

It's sitting snugly inside its larger neighbor. Moldova has three borders with Ukraine.

And one of those borders, so it's like it really is tucked. It's really is tucked.

And sort of one of those borders is this Finns liver of land that's called Transnistria.

So we have Moldova, which is a former Soviet republic. And you have, you had this region where

you had a lot of retired Soviet generals that were coming because Moldova is also a country with

...