Sitting just between Moldova and Ukraine is a sliver of land called Transnistria, a Russia-aligned territory home to an estimated 20,000 tons of Soviet-era weapons, ammunition and explosives, and more than 1,000 Russian troops. Transnistria sits on the Ukraine border and its neighbors have long worried that Russia would use it as a staging area for an invasion. A series of explosions within Transnistria this week have further heightened concerns. Americans, especially American journalists, aren't welcome in the breakaway region, but even from the border it's easy to see the Russian influences: guards wear Russian-style camouflage, Cyrillic words are written on buildings across the Dniester River from Rezina in Moldova, and even the Soviet-style hammer and sickle is on the flag. Click our link in bio to learn more about how Transnistria is becoming hugely significant in Russia's war against Ukraine. 📸: Trevor Hughes