TRANSNISTRIA (Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic - Приднестрóвская Молдáвская Респýблика )

Transnistria, Transdniestria, or Pridnestrovia, officially the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic (PMR; Russian: Приднестровская Молдавская Республика, romanized: Pridnestrovskaya Moldavskaya Respublika), is a breakaway state in the narrow strip of land between the river Dniester and the Ukrainian border that is internationally recognized as part of Moldova. Its capital is Tiraspol. Transnistria has been recognised only by three other mostly non-recognised states: Abkhazia, Artsakh, and South Ossetia. Transnistria is designated by the Republic of Moldova as the Transnistria autonomous territorial unit with special legal status (Romanian: Unitatea teritorială autonomă cu statut juridic special Transnistria), or Stînga Nistrului ("Left Bank of the Dniester"). Transnistria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Artsakh are post-Soviet "frozen conflict" zones. These four partially recognised states maintain friendly relations with each other and form the Community for Democracy and Rights of Nations. The region can also be referred to in English as Trans-Dniestr or Transdniestria. These names are adaptations of the Romanian colloquial name of the region, Transnistria meaning "beyond the River Dniester". The documents of the government of Moldova refer to the region as Stînga Nistrului (in full, Unitățile Administrativ-Teritoriale din Stînga Nistrului) meaning "Left Bank of the Dniester" (in full, "Administrative-territorial unit(s) of the Left Bank of the Dniester"). 

After the dissolution of the USSR, tensions between Moldova and the breakaway Transnistrian territory escalated into a military conflict that started in March 1992 and was concluded by a ceasefire in July of the same year. As part of that agreement, a three-party (Russia, Moldova, Transnistria) Joint Control Commission supervises the security arrangements in the demilitarised zone, comprising twenty localities on both sides of the river. Although the ceasefire has held, the territory's political status remains unresolved: Transnistria is an unrecognised but de facto independent semi-presidential republic with its own government, parliament, military, police, postal system, currency and vehicle registration. Its authorities have adopted a constitution, flag, national anthem and coat of arms. It is the only country still using the hammer and sickle on its flag, despite not being a communist state. 

After a 2005 agreement between Moldova and Ukraine, all Transnistrian companies that seek to export goods through the Ukrainian border must be registered with the Moldovan authorities. This agreement was implemented after the European Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) took force in 2005. Most Transnistrians also have Moldovan citizenship, but many Transnistrians also have Russian and Ukrainian citizenship. The main ethnic groups in 2015 were Russians (34%), Moldovans (33%), Ukrainians (26.7%) and Bulgarians (2.8%)

In the Russian Empire, Tiraspol was an administrative centre of the Tiraspol Uyezd located in the Kherson Governorate. On January 1, 1873, the Tiraspol Zemstvo began running the official local postal service. Two Zemstvo stamps were issued for this purpose, in 1873 and 1879, that were cancelled with a pen. Additionally, free, non-denominated official labels were printed in 1875 but they were not postage stamps. During World War II, the territory was occupied by the Romanian military forces, and the Transnistrian Government was established. Romania issued special postage stamps for Transnistria in 1941 and 1943, and semi-postals in 1942. Transnistria declared its independence from Moldova on September 2, 1990, and in June 1992, the postal authorities in Tiraspol, the capital and administrative centre of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, overprinted sheets of two definitive stamps of the former Soviet Union. The overprints read 'Тирасполь / 30-VI-92' (Tiraspol / 30-June-92) and two new values, '20 коп.' (20 kopecks) and '28 коп.' (28 kopecks). These provisionals were only in use from July 3 to July 21, 1992, and were then confiscated and destroyed by Moldavian authorities in Kishinev (now Chișinău). 

On November 18, 1993, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (Council) of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic made decision on issuing the first stamps. The first Transnistria stamp was designed by Grigoriy Bronza and appeared on December 31, 1993. Since then it has typically issued between 3 and 5 different series of stamps per year. The region's name is given only in Cyrillic, as 'ПОЧТА ПМР' (POST OF PMR, with PMR standing for Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic). The postage stamps of Transnistria are not recognised outside of the country and are valid only for domestic service within Transnistria. International mail and mail to the rest of Moldova reqires Moldovan postage stamps.

Bogus stamp issues have been a problem in the region for several years, with private persons overprinting stamps of the Soviet Union or printing labels resembling Transnistrian stamps, and selling them to unsuspecting collectors. The bogus stamps usually give the region's name in Cyrillic, as 'ПМР' , although sometimes the Latin letters 'PMR' are seen instead. There is no consistent practice, with some stamps only inscribed in Cyrillic and others only in Latin.

Regular covers from Transnistria with Transnistrian stamp (second from left, written as PMR) 'escaped' through the postal system and delivered into my postbox. Usually the Post office staff will not allow PMR stamps on international letters and they will tear off due to the political issue with Moldova and Transnistria. It is not an internationally recognized sovereign nation, considered as a breakaway region from Moldova. Even though they have own postal service inside the territory but international mails handled by Moldova Post. So Moldova considered PMR stamps are illegal and bogus. The postmark clearly shows the city name Tiraspol, the capital city of Transnistria.

Another cover posted from Tiraspol with PMR stamp ( second from second row) . Covers posted on June 8, 2015 and reached in my hand on June 19,2015.

Registered cover from Transnistria . PMR stamp can be seen - second from left is postmarked along with Moldova stamps. Moldova usually not allowed to use PMR stamps on international letters because PMR postal service  is not recognized by Universal Postal Union due to the objection from Moldova. Most of the time they either won't postmark or remove the PMR stamps from the customs section. These covers 'escaped' through the postal system.

Regular covers from PMR, which are postmarked from Tiraspol but not traveled through the postal system - because it has no international recognition. So my friend bought stamps for me, I prepared covers myself with a Transnistrian c/o address and sent to there for getting postmark on the cover. Their currency also different , so even the stamps affixed on the cover for sending international, won't be valid.  PMR stamps are being used inside the territory without problem, and the postmark is in Cyrillic letters. Here the two stamps from left is the joint issue with South Ossetia, another partially recognized country located between Russia and Georgia. They also issued the same stamps. Since 2014 South Ossetian stamps started to use on international letters and they are traveling through Russian Postal System.

This is another cover from PMR with the map and the picture of founder of Transnistria. His name is General Alexander Vasilyevich Sovorov. You can also see their Flag, Map and Coast of Arm on the stamps from right to left.