Transnistria: The Strangest Place on Earth

Discover the hidden world of Transnistria, a small, mysterious region in Eastern Europe, claiming independence but recognized by only a few breakaway states. From its unique geography to the enigmatic organization Sheriff, explore the bizarre realities that set Transnistria apart. Uncover the secrets and delve into the strangest place on Earth in this intriguing journey!

[@sgordon57xx]

Everywhere I look.... I find a new channel with Simon's face in the thumbnail. LOL

[@marilynlucero9363]

Googled it considering I fully agree, the guy is everywhere xD In total: 13 channels, saw it on imdb, lol.

[@iguanaassassin9893]

Yea he must be paying quite a bit to push his stuff out. I don't have any of his channels subbed.

[@mikesmicroworlds4566]

Simon is omnipotent and omnipresent

[@drewlovely2668]

​@@iguanaassassin9893who would he be paying? Just a bunch of quality channels. Also you can probably take off atleast 3 of those from his list. Biographics, top 10's, and geographics are being hosted by Karl now. "places" is his recreation of geographics, I wouldn't be surprised to see a channel called "people" to replace Biographics.

[@tanzero99]

simone #1 always good stories when working

[@dumitructa]

Best explained Transnistria video made by a non-local I saw so far. I'm from Moldova.

[@vulpes7079]

Do you think it should be independent?

[@dumitructa]

@@vulpes7079 there is no free/people voice in Transnistria. Its controled by Ruzzia and the only question is What Ruzzia wants. Ruzzia's target is Moldova thats why they didnt recogniced Transnistria"s independency.

[@vulpes7079]

@@dumitructa that is not what I asked. I asked if you think Transnistria should be independent

[@dumitructa]

@@vulpes7079 If that is what the people/nation of Transnistria whats then maybe. My opinion makes no sense.

[@ericdane7769]

@@dumitructa Your opinion might not be important, but it does make sense 😉. But yes, asking for peoples' real opinion in an authoritarian or mafia state is tricky.

[@shinkicker404]

Transnistria + Sheriff sounds like the perfect real world analogy of a Cyberpunk setting with corporate domination over a nation.

[@buttpaste]

it doesn't sound very socialist, but they identify as socialist

[@jimkozminski7693]

You need to have half a golden arm and a cigar

[@stuartmcalister2772]

I spent five days in Transnistria in 2010. I was working for a non-profit organization with programs in Moldova, and we launched a partnership with a church and an orphanage/boarding school in Dubasari. Crossing the bridge into Dubasari was like time traveling back 30 years into the Soviet Union. The hammer and sickle, red stars and images of Lenin were everywhere. Our group was closely monitored (spied on), with little effort given to concealing it. My Moldovan staff was certain our hotel rooms were bugged, and they were probably right. Our partners at the church and at the orphanage were put under pressure to change all the plans we had agreed on, and goods that we had imported for our work with the kids were impounded until we left. I tried my best to get our stuff, but was given the obvious run-around about it. Every day, the customs officials gave me a different bureaucratic reason why our things couldn't be released to us and told that maybe tomorrow things would be different. I mean, Moldova is full of bureaucracy and inefficiency, but this was clearly something else. We made the best of it, and as we returned across the river at the end of our week, my Moldovan staff person breathed an audible sigh of relief at having made it out without anyone being detained. It was weird, but I'm glad I got to experience it.

[@bobcougar77]

I imagine they would be extremely suspicious of any western aid group. Probably inspecting it's an effort to win the hearts and minds of their population. Or spy, educate the children in ways they don't approve etc, etc. Either way I'm sure it was a fascinating experience.

[@pegcity4eva]

Sounds like Cuba

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

​@@pegcity4evaYeah, but not even modern Cuba. This is like Cuba in the 1970s.

[@karenbaisch2868]

Thank you for making this Simon. I used to think Transnistria was just a goofy bunch of people trying to live the good old days of the Soviet Union. Now I realize it is far more then that.

[@jamesgordon7608]

As the west always does. It sees military bases, oil, cheap labor, people experiment laboratories. In Iraq after trillions spent on defense. The signs of weapons of mass destruction was not produced after the country was massively destroyed. Some how even Isis became to thrive amidst all the search and trillions dollars spent. The more trillions spent and towns destroyed the more Isis soldiers thrive.

[@Bulgarian_Jedi_Ninja]

🚨⚠️You passed the test successfully⚠️🚨. You can be sure that your brain has been 🪄brainwashed💯%. 💥‼️Congratulations‼️💥 Knock, knock... Oh, there's nobody home! But now you can use your empty head as a trunk or storage compartment! You can put there as in deposit box, compress and store, carry around and deploy as propaganda necessary, all those things that someone wants you to think you know without questioning or just simple check from different sources! How I said: CONGRATULATIONS❕

[@jamesgordon7608]

@@TopHat_Crow He is from Germany. Nine! Nine! Nine! Nine! Mustache man favorite words.

[@GaryRine]

@@Bulgarian_Jedi_Ninja still deal with losing the cold war eh??? get over it Vlad or Ivan or Boris doesn't matter really since not a single pro Soviet matters anymore... LOL

[@Ed_Stuckey]

This was my thinking too. Well, the nutty people and the 5,000 Russian troops. I thought Moldova should just sell it to Ukraine at a bargain price and let them deal with it. It's on their side of the river anyway.

[@uppercut147]

I'm starting to wonder if Simon is AI generated at this point. How does the man have the time to make so many well-done videos on so many different channels???

[@koorby]

easy! he just reads them, he doesn’t write or edit or anything else, there’s a whole team behind it :)

[@AndrewMitchell123]

yeah, at this point I refuse to believe he is real anymore 😂🤣

[@armbusk]

i really wish he'd drop it, i'd honestly rather want unfitting stock images then AI generated shit.

[@AndrewMitchell123]

@@armbusk for AI generated shit his content esp on Blaze is pretty good tho 🤣😂 that being said, I think we have all seen that AI generated chick someone created and thousands of losers and virgins immediately started sending "her" money not recognizing its AI lol rly make you question everything in life, esp thinking If the youtubers you were watching for quite some time are even real... but I dont think we can blame Simon for being AI, dude has history of creating vids looooong time before Chat GPT and other AI shit was even viable soooo... but then again, the volume of content he and team puts out rly makes you question If at least some of his vids arent AI generated lol

[@armbusk]

@@AndrewMitchell123 i dunno what this has to do with spamming AI images in his videos, which should never be used as AI "art" is really just "art theft" of like 2000 people all at once.

[@onemorechris]

i guess the burning question here is: how many desks does Simon actually own?!

[@randallcraft4071]

For some reason I feel like he has like 5 and there is A Camera on a tripod on a lazy Susan in the center of them and he just rotates it to whichever desk he has to sit at for that video

[@cpt_bill366]

Just 1, because this one is an AI depiction. You can see the window through the cactus. The board on the wall doesn't line up, and the notches on the ceiling look a bit abstract also.

[@onemorechris]

@@randallcraft4071 this is what i want the answer to be!

[@onemorechris]

@@cpt_bill366 is he sitting in a tiny box this entire time?!

[@AdriLeemput]

@@cpt_bill366 true, but lets all pretend the SimonDavenEnterprise was able to move out of the basement and into the loft on the top floor :D

[@kverkagambo]

Very complimentary to Transnistria. It was created to be forever burning conflict for Moldova, who dared to be independent. Plan succeeded just like in Georgia, while other tries failed elsewhere in former USSR.

[@KPW2137]

Also a possibe issue for the Ukraine.

[@a.mueller2932]

what about this video is complimentary to Transnistria? Its all about how corrupt and fake and terrible it is.

[@bmlapoint83]

moldova is what happens when nato fucks around. georgia is what happens when nato fucks around. ukraine is what happens when nato fucks around. there is a common denominator here.

[@user-fg6vm8hq6i]

@@KPW2137 why there were Ukrainian volunteers there along with Russian volunteers?

[@user-fg6vm8hq6i]

@kverkagambo Very complimIt's just as easy as being a geopolitical analyst. And draw conclusions without delving into the issue of the region.

[@ChrisKeziahHyde]

It's good to know that Simon finally has a window. I was getting worried that he was permanently stuck in a cellar or something... EDIT: My original comment was originally meant to be a tongue in cheek reference to the running joke of him and his writers in a basement. It was only intended as sarcasm and satire. It's annoying that I have to explain the joke but that is what was intended.

[@jelmerprins]

While the official narrative goes that Simon has people in the basement, it is actually reversed.

[@motorphina]

I hate the fake background. It's terrible. I know he's still stuck in a basement. They can't fool me!

[@ronfischer191]

Great video

[@zahrans]

Jokes on you. That's just a printed scene. He's still in his basement or cellar....

[@misledpoet]

​@@zahrans you mean dungeon, right?

[@matthewdeitch128]

Very good overview but my one criticism would be that you skipped almost entirely over the period of 1941-1944 which is extremely important to understanding the Transnisitrian identity, their feelings toward Romania and Moldova, and contextualizing the subsequent Soviet deportation of tens of thousands of Moldovans. The wikipedia page on the Transnistria Governorate is a good place to start for anyone interested.

[@mellyboo513]

I agree. The WWII period really had a lot involved for that area and the future after. It should have been included more.

[@TheFiddle101]

I'll look it up. Thanks

[@JWFInancialCoaching]

He also forgot that it was literally part of Romania

[@junglesuperstar9270]

@@JWFInancialCoachingding forget that Romanians allied with Hitler . Ooops, Thad why he conveniently forgot about it

[@smallsleepyrascalcat]

Thank you very much for this video. I knew Transnistria exists, I knew it separated from Moldova, but the complete history has been unknown to me. Now I'm a lot smarter than before.

[@noth606]

Well, it "separated", the quotes are important since it's relative... To most of the rest of the world, they didn't, you won't find them at the UN or having embassies all over etc. If you go there, sure, but if you go to the borders in the north of Sweden, Norway and Finland you'll be very hard pressed to find a border, except for a road sign. The money used for the most part is whatever you have on you, language whichever you speak or a mishmash of your own choice.

[@gragor11]

@@noth606 "Separated" just as Kosovo did from Serbia.

[@noth606]

@@gragor11 There was more noise about Kosovo with the UN getting in on the action etc, but I may be biased based on knowing Kosovars personally but no Transnistrians(?). I've met one Moldovan, but have been friends with or known several Serbs, Bosniaks and Kosovars - separately - they tend not to get along even outside of the region. I'm not expressing a specific personal opinion regarding who did or didn't separate, I'm just going by the UN.

[@gragor11]

@@noth606 No problem. I brought up Kosovo because it was another broken away area with the loser not appreciating the treatment. The difference, of course is one is supported by the West not Russian. As for in the area where Norway, Finland and Russia come together there is soon to be great changes. There was a report yesterday that the US AKA NATO is setting up 17 bases.. If true, that will bring all the differences that will be necessary for That border to become very well marked. Funny the Fins would paint such a large red target on their backs like that but it is what it is.

[@noth606]

@@gragor11 I'm Finnish, a lot of the sentiment that brought the Nato thing about comes from seeing what Russia has been doing lately. Finland can fight Russia on it's own in a conventional scenario, but it would be a very costly confrontation as things currently stand. It may sound weird but the situation in terms of force balance is different from what you would think, Finland has a lot of manpower but not equipment, Russia has the opposite situation currently by comparison. Either way, we (Finns) didn't paint a target on our backs, we've had it put there by Russia since even before 1939, and after the war nothing was "in balance", so Russia still thinks Finland belongs to it, and Finns think the land including what was stolen in 1939 belong to it as an independent nation.

[@GrievousReborn]

I like how he's taking places that were covered on Geographics back when he hosted it and taking a deeper dive into those places.

[@randallcraft4071]

Back when he hosted? I havent watched Geographics in a while is someone else hosting it now? Did something happen?

[@LS-qw3ez]

Has he stopped hosting some of his other channels? I’ve seen some new faces lately…

[@legolasdf1]

@@LS-qw3ez Man has to rest, don't he? how many channels Simon was the host, like 7?

[@chancecherry6055]

​@randallcraft4071 he left biographics and geographics cause the founder died and his daughter who took over was a prick

[@randallcraft4071]

@@chancecherry6055 ah gotcha, i just saw a Today I found out after responding to you with Daven hosting again like it was pre simon. It was harsh to ears especially when im used to good old Simon.

[@Zeke1460]

Simon has more channels than all the rest of us have hobbies combined. Not knocking it, mad respect Simon! Just saying.

[@mike42356]

And pushes aggressive promotion as well. I keep blocking his channels and they still pop up. (the reason I am doing this is that I find him / his team blatantly politically and culturally biased. Also omits some relevant details from the presentations. Come on, no mention that Christopher Lee had a heavy metal band?! 😅 I've seen better...)

[@christiangauthier727]

Love the longer Format of this Channel Simon & Team! Contrary to a 20 minutes (or less) Video, this allows for a proper Deep Dive into the Subject and to set the stage with historical context before exploring the various facets of an issue!

[@cameronclare2132]

Thanks for making an in depth video about this bizzare region, Simon! It makes a great factual & explanatory companion to a multitude of adventure travel vlogs exploring the place on the ground from the likes of Bald And Bankrupt or Yes Theory.

[@charlesyoung7436]

I would not be surprised to see Ukraine invade Transnistria in the near future to capture that huge military depot and assist Moldova in regaining control over that territory. Then, there really would be a new "Sheriff" in town.

[@ChaosAI24]

There's nothing bizarre about it at all. Was the first russian aggression against a former USSR state after 1900, not in Georgia, not in Ukraine!

[@hunterwilk]

Bald an Bankrupt is also morally bankrupt and doesn't deserve views. Look into him and decide for yourself, but I'm not down with his misogyny.

[@ahwhite2022]

As someone who has lived and worked throughout many of the regions "Bald and Bankrupt" apparently features, I have a bit of a negative opinion. Alas, seems even people I know would rather learn from him than ask me. I lack the story-telling charm, I guess. It is fun to be told where I'm wrong about places I've actually lived by people who have never left their home region but watch a lot of KZbin.

[@olga9219]

@@ChaosAI24 this is a lie, Moldova attacked Transnistria, not the other way around. After that, Transnistria does not want to become part of Moldova.

[@AllTradesGeorge]

This was helpful for me...I've seen Tranistria on maps since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, and been under the impression that Russia had done the same thing in Tranistria that they'd done in Donetsk and Luhansk, and that was why I kept seeing (unmoving) markers indicating Russian troops. The situation is far more complex than that. I feel like I have a better grasp of context, now, and the apparent lack of action or urgency towards Transnistria from Ukraine makes a lot more sense.

[@ChaosAI24]

Yes and actually was the first russian aggression in Europe after 1990!

[@olga9219]

this is a lie, Moldova attacked Transnistria, not the other way around. After that, Transnistria does not want to become part of Moldova.

[@ChaosAI24]

Transnistria was part of Moldova, you are basically saying Moldova attacked Moldova. On your logic Moldova did what Russia is doing now!. If Ukraine is a breakaway province of Russia , same was Transnistria for Moldova.@@olga9219 Truth is Russia wanted a grey zone just like in Ukraine!

[@tomriley5790]

I mean it probably did (unless you really believe that whole units of the Russian army all on their own decided to start fighting Moldova...

[@ShrekMeBe]

What the author did not mention is that Transnistria is a russian experiment, a phantom state, existing only because of covert help and not so subtle "nudging" from the russian state and its army there. From its lessons, the modus operandi was defined for breaking away those phantom republics in eastern Ukraine, from a much stronger opponent but still one that was so much weaker than whatever the soviets have turned into. The heavy censorship is quite definitory. Were that to cease, Transnistria would return to Moldova of simple similarity of peoples. The "differences" are a russian narrative, well played but still almost complete lies, used to maintain a pretext of russian intervention whenever it would suit them. Russians have waged a policy of russification for centuries, to them opposing it is anathema or worse (see how they call it in Ukraine nowadays).

[@atksenc]

So pumped Simon is on a places channel again. You’re the best.

[@masamune2984]

How is it possible that there are STILL channels from Simon and team being uncovered in almost 2024?

[@freeculture]

Is there ANY youtuber with more channels than Simon?

[@angelitabecerra]

I much prefer this deeper dive into Transnistria than the video you did on Geographics.

[@badluck5647]

I feel bad that I thought this would be a rehash, but I love all the new details and context.

[@vulpes7079]

His Geographics video was made at the height of anti-Russian sentiment, so it seems clouded by that and ignores a few facts. This one is much more informative and well-rounded

[@angelitabecerra]

@vulpes7079 Well that was also done when he was Host for another's channel. This is his own channel so that probably has some bearing on that

[@taivo55]

In Romanian and to the western world, it's "Transnistria" (across the Dniester), but in Ukraine and parts east, it's known as "Pridnestrovia" (this side of the Dniester). My wife, a Ukrainian, was actually born in Bendery while it was still part of the Soviet Union.

[@durtedesigns6549]

I learned so much in this video! Simon does indeed have a back side, his apartment does actually have windows, and AI art is scary good... 😂

[@ddaffyduck9636]

I just want to say how much I appreciate this channel and your work!❤

[@whoknowsflapjack8754]

Love love loving this new channel, thanks Simon and the team ❤

[@1whitkat]

This channel has been amazingly educational for me. Thank you for helping me fill in the gaps.

[@zeriousvolt1245]

Thank you for marking pictures with the text ”AI Depiction”. Extremely few youtubers are as honest you. I hope this trend will spread.

[@lukemiller_6]

Simon, you and your writers are absolute legends! Thanks for the consistent, amazing content 👏🏼

[@user-st2bo3be8i]

Agreed

[@gennystout8952]

I concur. All his channels are amazing! Am I right, Peter?!?

[@gennystout8952]

😅😅😅😅😂😂😂😂😂

[@gragor11]

Yes, I'd like to know a little bit more about the writer, Evan Moloney all right. Can't quite figure out if he is paid directly by The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) or something more obscure entity such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

[@paosusuu]

wonderful video, i'm so glad you talked about this region!

[@davepacz]

I've been googling Transnistria frequently since February 2022, trying to understand how this region came to be. Overall, informationally, this is one of the best breakdowns I've seen. But, please stop peppering legit info with AI generated images. It immediately cuts off all your legit research at the knees.

[@picketf]

Stock video during narration in documentaries has been used for decades, it's only natural that staged reenactions will be replaced by AI shorts in the future... also just a matter of time when we'll cease to recognize the difference between the two.

[@ernestareheart4238]

At least he has the honesty to label the pictures telling us they are AI depictions. He wants to add imagery to his descriptions and some of these places are notoriously hard to get candid photos and videos in and out of. It's just a narrative device. Not an attempt to misinform.

[@vipbaepsae]

the most shocking thing for me personally is that Transnistria is so teeny tiny yet I know two people from that area 😅

[@jorgelotr3752]

New Simon channel: FOUND It seems like it's brand new too, with just 5 videos.

[@5nowChain5]

I gotta say Simon, this article is really really good, well done. I think this is your best yet.

[@makschorney2514]

Congratulations on another excellent program, thank you!

[@85priesty]

Congratulations Simon for keeping it together whilst remaining serious while referring to Football/Soccer, would love to see how many takes this required, Congratulations on the professionalism. Until a bit over 10min in, I feel like this needs a “Blaze” Bugger it it would be great. (Not taking away from the seriousness of this situation...)

[@johnhenwood4947]

I feel like us og blazers are being left behind 😂

[@--enyo--]

@@johnhenwood4947Geographics is more OG than Business Blaze. Just go watch Brain Blaze if you want craziness and zebra sex masks. 🤷‍♀️

[@clubjed6276]

Your right but we have to accept his serious moments

[@--enyo--]

Huh. I only just found this channel. Just couldn’t get enough Geographics, huh? 😉 But I really like that Simon and team have really dug into the longer form videos now. I really enjoy them. Here’s hoping that the original form of the Biographics Podcast where Simon basically did a casual chat about a subject he found interesting over about forty minutes comes back as well! I’m sure the following would be there for it now. Although I guess under a different name. People? Unrelated side note, but that thin sliver of view out the window reminds me so much of the view from my window when I lived in Prague for a very short time. 😂

[@Techstriker1]

Is that a real window then? The Yellowstone video it had bright panels, I figured it was a screen of some sort.

[@LaylaSpellwind]

This video was extremely well editted and written. This channel is quickly becoming a well loved Simon Channel for me.

[@EpicgamerwinXD6669]

Hey Simon, could you also cover Tartarstan in a later episode?

[@wolfrickthedesigner4748]

Tartar sauce 🫙?

[@EpicgamerwinXD6669]

@@wolfrickthedesigner4748 yeah, Tatarstan, look it up.

[@monckey44]

as a lover of long form stuff, I definitely prefer this to geographics. also love the editing on this one

[@RNAxRibose]

aside from geographics into the shadows asrtrographics & warographics this might be my favorite channel from simon. i love geography and maps, keep it on

[@vipbaepsae]

pretty sure he opened Places as an alternative to Geographics as that is actually not his channel he just used to host it but he was hired not in control

[@davidelliott5843]

EU seems to agree. Ukraine and Moldova are getting fast-tracked towards EU membership. It will take a ridiculous amount of time but it’s interesting that Transnistria is not mentioned.

[@vipbaepsae]

@davidelliott5843 nobody but Transnistria considers them a country so why would they be mentioned?

[@--enyo--]

Did not even know about Astrographics. I might head over there to subscribe. I hope Simon decides to bring back the original form of the Biographics Podcast when he casually chats about the subject for about forty minutes. It came out many years ago and only lasted a short time, but I think now it would definitely have the following to be viable. I guess following on from this channel name it could be called ‘People’ or something?

[@markaxworthy2508]

The best of Simon's presentations that I have seen.

[@alejandrosilvestre6773]

awesme video as per usual ! thanks a lot for this wonderful video Simon, cheers from Mexico.

[@Hillbilly001]

Posted for 4 minutes and no comments. Yet. Bring it on Factboi. Cheers from Tennessee

[@DylanReagan865]

Cheers from east Tennessee!

[@patrickhansen7057]

Cheers from western nc

[@calethesnail4882]

@@patrickhansen7057 WNC gangggg

[@gennystout8952]

Western PA here. Would have been here sooner but had to work 😢😢😢 Factboi is awesome.......am I right, Peter?!?

[@connerbridges3763]

Dude your videos are incredible. I appreciate the density of information and the pace at which you speak, which saves me from having to adjust the playback speed. The background music is at the perfect volume, just audible enough to suggest the emotion. And your thoroughness of information is great, not leaving out important points but not beating a dead horse on erroneous details. Truly magnificent work, I look forward to your future coverage of niche topics!

[@bicyclist2]

I've heard of this place before because the guy from YES theory went there. This is the best description and explanation of this place. Thank you.

[@Gimme_bikelanes]

I’m a Geography major in the US with a fascination with the former USSR (especially Central Asia and the Caucuses) and did an essay on Transnistria my freshman year! I’ve wanted to visit ever since.

[@junglesuperstar9270]

The level of education in the USA is appalling . How did you literally manage to misspell your degree ? Like seriously ? Caucasus . Pathetic . I could imagine what you learnt

[@jetcitykitty]

Your boyfriend from Transnistria is always down to fool around in the back of his Yugo, so I'm like, "Yugo? I come!" 🤗

[@arnisvitols]

Can we have web page with list of all the channels Simon hosts, please? I dont want to miss any

[@ShanaBanana3313]

Click on the channels tab on any of his channel pages. They are all listed there

[@GrahamAstles]

I first came across Transnistria in an episode of the show "FBI: International". Very interesting to hear more of its history and politics.

[@jrmckim]

Geography... my favorite subject. Happy to see Simon make an improved Geographics...

[@Itsoperated]

I love Transnistria and Abkhazia. Especially Abkhazia so much to learn about them and the couture definitely two countries (That don’t exist) that I want to go.

[@nathangillmore5064]

If, at the end of this amazing video, Simon had said "Every single thing I've just said... was a farce. A joke. Ha ha!" I would have laughed, nodded, and said "You got me!" Unreal. I've never heard of this place. Amazing work, Simon and Co!

[@gaiadruid]

Thank for explaining this. It's amazing history currently state analysis !

[@DomingoDeSantaClara]

Simons online presence is now so big, i feel like he's readying to start a breakaway internet...a new sheriff in town?

[@sprinter768]

Funny enough, I just learned that a place called Transnistria even existed in this world a few days ago, by chance, while watching another KZbin video. I figured it was a small place not many people knew about and probably not recognized as an independent country judging only by the fact that I had never heard of it. I was right about all that. And when I saw that name in the title of this video I was curious to learn about it. Turns out, it's an even worse place that I thought.

[@Veldtian1]

Yeah, if you're a sucker for the dictates of the "rules based order".🤣

[@katiedotson704]

I, like many others, have listened to the news cast on the invasion of Ukraine, but couldn't quite figure out how the Transnistria region affected the war. This helps a great deal. Thanks Simon & Crew.

[@johnthekeane]

Very interesting. Thanks!

[@TheCrone]

Love the new background ❤

[@garyfrombrooklyn]

You never disappoint with your content, Simon.

[@kathyjaneburke2798]

Yeah! Another channel in the Simonverse! On a serious note, excellent addition.

[@RacovitsaD]

Very informative. Thanks

[@geraldcapon392]

Thank you Simon. When you do stuff like this you’re better than BBC or SKY. Well done mate.

[@CrankyQuokka]

Why do I get strong "Paper's Please" vibes here, especially mentioning the passport and currency?

[@jpdemer5]

"Papers please" means passport OR currency.

[@robertberger8642]

Good info, thanks for sharing

[@alabamacoastie6924]

Excellent topic choice! I've been curious about that weird strip of land.

[@olga9219]

Transnistria joined Moldova by Stalin, before that it was with Ukraine, and was part of the Odessa region.

[@AngryKittens]

Transnistria is a Russia's last attempt to keep their greedy hands on Romania, because Moldova kicked them out as well.

[@IanSpira-up5zr]

please make this into a podcast

[@elinevo1]

Thank you for a great and very informative video

[@user-yw1np5ht5l]

Sooooo much content. How. You and your teams big brain me all the time😂. Thank you

[@nicky_bobby92]

I see a window….i don’t like it. Simon should always be in a basement or bunker or w.e. I have never seen Simon outside and we are getting dangerous close to it.

[@cameronclare2132]

On Today I Found Out he made a video around 5 years back on location from the Bone Church outside of Prague.

[@mhairiwallace9320]

I went a few years ago. It’s not all that strange really when you are there. There people were nice and they had a coffee machine on the street. The plastic money chips are odd though.

[@charlesburrow2144]

I know this is a month late, but THANK YOU for saying "a whole other" properly. This is one of many reasons why you are so good. (Hopes he hasn't messed up. I'm too old.)

[@britgerus1956Glen]

Many thx, very informative

[@HickoryJ]

Minor nitpick at around 4:10, but artsakh doesn't exist anymore 😅 Great content as always

[@MinusMOD98]

He knows, he has reported on that very conflict on his Warographics channel. Heck, he even mentioned Karabakh by that name at 18:41 in this video. I think he used the Artsakh name at 4:10 because it was easier to say than Nagorno-Karabakh.

[@chaosXP3RT]

There is no greater irony than a Soviet state stuck in time completely controlled by a massive corporation

[@donaldcarey114]

Even more ironic is that it has Communists.

[@seasoncolorandpi]

I have a dear friend from Tiraspol. She had wild stories from growing up there in the 90s.

[@SeeExperience]

I've been here and it's a really unique place. Something I'll remember forever

[@PtolemyJones]

Russia: invades a bunch of the world, decides that anywhere they ever owned should still be theirs.

[@alexjames1146]

Almost as great a place as Turkmenistan.

[@galenbywater2936]

Great information thank you.

[@Calenrandir]

Crazy if you go to Google Earth you'll see that the Sherriff Head Office is directly in between the Tiraspol City Hall and the Justice Center

[@radu.muresan]

you got one thing wrong, there is no such thing as the Moldavian language, it's Romanian, and the russian narrative is that these are two separate languages and two separate people and that's an insult to our existence.

[@JWFInancialCoaching]

I love how Transnistria says it's communist, yet it is controlled by a company.

[@robdiesel2876]

That would make them fascists....no???

[@j.lingle4713]

@@robdiesel2876- corporatist-authoritarian

[@shantanukhandkar]

​@@robdiesel2876that would make them like any other "communist" country except that its honest enough to not call the company that runs the country a "party"😂

[@Ghost_of_Robespierre]

​@@shantanukhandkarSounds like Marxism-Lenninism with an extra step

[@RedPaganNetwork]

@@Ghost_of_Robespierre someone does not understand what MLism is.

[@stevenwilliams1520]

Wow the veiw out your window is beautiful. Isee you finally moved into your new home. I hope you love the country life

[@danielludlow8960]

Great job!!!!

[@britsaunders2151]

Dude, you should really take a break yo say hello to your wife.

[@EpicgamerwinXD6669]

Out of all the Russian Separatist Republics, Transnistria definitely seems the most legitimate to me. They even have their own currency.

[@tresphorempundu3185]

That's true to some extent, but it would have been impossible for Transnistria to exist without the support and protection of the Russian federation.

[@backcountry164]

Chucky Cheese has it own currency also. Just like Transnistria, it's not good anywhere else...

[@baileygregory9192]

​@tresphorempundu3185 is that any different to kosovo

[@tresphorempundu3185]

@@baileygregory9192 It's exactly the same thing. Serbia doesn't recognise Kosovo's independent status but the EU and USA decided otherwise.

[@linosclassics]

​@@tresphorempundu3185: really not. Just to state the more obvious and superficial reason: 102 UN states recognise Kosovo while not a single state on earth does transnistria.

[@twinphalanx4465]

Good to see the Simon ai growing and expanding it's channels

[@jscottski4140]

😮

[@CA-kp9lt]

Side angle and a window now 👏🏽👏🏽 he’s taking it up a notch

[@EmilNicolaiePerhinschi]

It's not as complicated and threatening as it sounds. You need to read "The Affirmative Action Empire: Nations and Nationalism in the Soviet Union, 1923-1939", by Terry Martin, The Wilder House Series in Politics, History and Culture, 2001. That book has the info which explains all the recent trouble in Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia/Abhazia/Osetia, Moldova and Transnistria. The population of Transnistria dropped to below 500000 by 2014 because they emigrated to Romania and Russia. Romania is giving them citizenship if they ask for it since 2015, Some go further West after they get the Romanian passport. Those who emigrated to Russia were treated like foreigners, and the Moldovans who chose to seek work there were treated the same, while in Romania we don't really care what language they speak at home or with what accent. In Romania we suffer from kremlinophobia not from Russophobia but the Moldovans and the Transnistrians did not know that in 1991, they believed things are the same in Romania as they were in Soviet Union where linguistic groups competed for power and resources at every level, and where from the smallest Autonomous Soviet Republic to the largest Republic the majority ethnic group in that particular circumscription had all the cards and the minorities constantly had to appeal to Moscow for intercession and protection. That misunderstanding is slowly being resolved, even the Gagauz (who also emigrated to Romania before 1940 and after 1991) are starting to relax.

[@thebestben]

Transnistria is the land of contradictions. It claims to want independence but has become entirely reliant on the Russian political and economic systems. It's a land of ethnic Moldovans, Ukrainians, and Russians who fear their culture would be lost in Moldova, but are more than happy to continue to assimilate into Russian culture. Their flag has communist/Soviet references but they assassinated their communist opposition leader and the Communist Party of Transnistria is essentially defunct. They revere socialist Russian leaders but exist under an anarcho-capitalist system.

[@adeleyeadewunmi1355]

Very Apt and articulate narration. Would certainly want to get to the conclusion, which I did

[@blinard1]

I would love to know who did the greenscreen and thought "that looks acceptable"?!?!

[@ondrejkratochvil4589]

In gist: it's one of several Russia controled teritories (defacto) in former USSR republics, that allows Russia to destabilize those republics if they need to, and existence of such territories was also viewed as insurance against those republics being allowed to join EU or even NATO.

[@jackthorton10]

Well, that could change if Russia loses the Ukraine War

[@zombiebullshark3834]

Republicans: "even countries can be trans now!!!" 😂😂😂

[@backcountry164]

You understand that was a word before 2020 right??

[@zombiebullshark3834]

@backcountry164 it's a joke, my family is screaming dumb sh** like this at me daily 🥲

[@beckyweisfeld6977]

​@@backcountry164A prefix to be precise.

[@CartoonHero1986]

The strange lighting aurora around Simon gives him an Alan Wake at his desk effect to the video LMAO

[@alicejohnson8751]

How is the Russian army in Transnitria any different to the US army being in lots of places outside the US? At least the country wants the troops there while there are plenty of countries where the US has a military presence where the population doesn't want them

[@Ficker2]

" At least the country wants the troops there" What country(Transnitria aint one)? So if a bunch of Mexican-Americans want the Mexican military in Arizona regardless of what rest of the state's population wants let alone the what the rest of the US wants , you think that's fine?

[@perrycarditi5]

Your description of the shady government reminded me off the United States as of late.

[@daveanderson3805]

So, Transnistria, although it doesn't officially exist, is a company owned private piece of real estate. Late 19th/early 20th century coal mine companies in West Virginia and other places would be so jealous

[@alantremonti1381]

Side camera got me freaked out, Fact Boi; nice profile though, very round and polished.

[@JohnMcNeel]

The AI depictions are weird and I'm not a fan.

[@MyNameIsNick_]

Credibility is lost when you use AI generated images