CHISINAU. Oct 21 (Interfax) - Lieut. Col. of the Russian Armed Forces Valentin Ostroverkhiy has been appointed chief of the Joint Staff of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces in Transdniestria. The press center for the Joint Control Commission (JCC) told Interfax that this decision was made at a JCC meeting on Thursday.
The JCC is the collective coordinating body of the peacekeeping operation in Transdniestria. It holds weekly meetings involving representatives of Moldova, Transdniestria and Russia, as well as military observers from Ukraine and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). All decisions are taken by consensus.
"Lieut. Col. Ostroverkhiy will replace Col. Alexander Sevryukov as chief of the Joint Staff as his service mission ended. Lieut. Col. Ostroverkhiy has experience of participating in a peacekeeping operation, before his appointment he served as a military observer for a group of military observers of the joint peacekeeping forces," the press center said.
The peacekeeping operation in Transdniestria is taking place in accordance with the Moldovan-Russian Agreement of July 21, 1992. The joint peacekeeping force includes 402 Russian military personnel, 492 Transdniestrian troops, 355 Moldovan servicemen, and ten military observers from Ukraine. The peacekeepers are on duty at 15 stationary posts and checkpoints, which are located in the Security Zone on the banks of the Dniester River.