Ukrainska Pravda says 17 stations opened in Transnistria; RIA Novosti reports only the embassy in Chisinau

What happened. Russia held its State Duma election on Sunday 20 September and opened polling stations in Transnistria, the breakaway strip of Moldova that Chisinau does not control. Ukrainska Pravda reports that Moldova's foreign ministry had called this unacceptable without the agreement of the country's constitutional authorities, and that the one station Moldova did agree to sits inside the Russian embassy in Chisinau. Transnistria's leader Vadim Krasnoselsky voted; Obozrevatel puts that in its headline.

Where the accounts part.

Outlet	What it counts	What it calls the vote
Ukrainska Pravda	17 stations; more than 21,000 voters by noon	"elections", in "unrecognised" Transnistria
Obozrevatel	No number	"polling stations"; the "head of PMR"
Ziarul de Gardă	Three stations in Tiraspol	Polling stations, no quotation marks
RIA Novosti	The embassy in Chisinau	Voting, no quotation marks

The scene at the doors. Ziarul de Gardă's reporters went to three stations in Tiraspol and describe police, soldiers, heavy-set men in civilian clothes and dark glasses, police vans and metal detectors at the entrances, with Russian songs playing inside. No other report we hold describes a station from outside.

Not settled. The number 17 comes from Krasnoselsky's own earlier announcement of how many he would open, not from a count of what opened. The figure of more than 21,000 by noon appears in one report, credited to Newsmaker; nothing says who compiled it, and no second count exists in what we hold. No report we hold carries a Russian or Transnistrian official answering Moldova's objection, and none quotes a voter.

What this is about. Russia held a national parliamentary election and put ballot boxes on the soil of a neighbouring state that had refused permission.

How it got here. Moldova became independent when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. Transnistria — a narrow strip on the east bank of the Dniester river, with a large Russian-speaking population — refused to go with it. A short war in 1992 ended with the strip under its own administration and Russian troops stationed on it, where they remain. No UN member state recognises it, Russia included. Its authorities call it the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, the "PMR" of Obozrevatel's headline, and Vadim Krasnoselsky has led it since 2016. Moldova's constitution still counts the territory as Moldovan; Chisinau does not govern it.

Who is in it, and why. The State Duma is the lower house of Russia's parliament. Russians living abroad vote at their embassies and consulates, and doing so requires the consent of the state they are in. Many residents of Transnistria hold Russian passports. That is the collision: Moscow treats them as citizens who should be able to vote where they live, while Chisinau says nothing may open on Moldovan soil without its agreement — and agreed only to the station in the Russian embassy in the capital.

What is at stake. Not who wins the seats. Moldova applied for European Union membership in 2022 and was granted candidate status that June, while Transnistria stays the one part of its territory where Russian authority is a fact on the ground. The question is recognition by practice: whether Russia can administer Transnistria as it does its own regions, and whether Moldova's refusal carries any weight. Ukrainska Pravda notes Russia ran the same vote in occupied parts of Ukraine's Kherson region.

Where it stands. The stations opened Sunday morning and were due to close at 20:00. Krasnoselsky voted. Moldova's objection stands on paper.

What is being argued about

Whether 17 stations opened, or whether 17 is only the number Transnistria's leader said in advance he would open
What to call a vote held without the host state's consent, and whose words each outlet puts in quotation marks
Who counted the more than 21,000 voters by noon
What the Russian state account covers — the embassy in Chisinau — and what it leaves out

One Sunday, five reports, four ways of naming itSide by side

Outlet	What it counts	What it calls the vote	What is hedged
Ukrainska Pravda (Ukraine)	17 stations; more than 21,000 voters by 12:00, citing Newsmaker; open 08:00–20:00	"elections" to Russia's State Duma, in "unrecognised" Transnistria; the "head" of Transnistria	The turnout is attributed by name; the opening is stated flat
Ukrainska Pravda, English (Ukraine)	17 stations; more than 21,000 by noon	Polling stations, no quotation marks	"Reportedly" on the turnout only, with no counter named
Obozrevatel (Ukraine)	—	«Избирательные участки» — the stations themselves in quotation marks; the "head of PMR"	Nothing hedged; the quotation marks carry the doubt
Ziarul de Gardă (Moldova)	Three stations in Tiraspol, visited by its reporters	Polling stations, no quotation marks	Nothing hedged and nothing counted — the report is what its reporters saw
RIA Novosti (Russian state)	The embassy in Chisinau	Voting; no quotation marks anywhere	We hold the headline only, and no text

What each report we hold carries about the same day. A dash means that report does not carry it.

Sources U Ukrainska Pravda U Ukrainska Pravda O Obozrevatel Z Ziarul de Gardă R RIA Novosti

Claims and verdicts

No claims registered.

Who wrote it

О Ольга Ганюкова Obozrevatel

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Asserted flat the drone's nationality is stated without a source×1

Different verb for each army Russia seizes, Ukraine liberates, for two numbers of the same kind×1

Evaluative wording in the report's own voice the report judges the statement rather than quoting it, and puts the peace language in scare quotes×1

Evaluative word in the report's own voice the headline calls the statement 'cynical' without saying who calls it that×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

4 unverified3 true

From 336 reports we hold under this byline, at Obozrevatel. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

Р РИА Новости RIA Novosti

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Actor named no attacker named; the channels only 'said' there were failures×1

Actor named the outage is reported with no actor named×1

Actor named 'the West' is named as acting, attributed to the foreign ministry spokeswoman×1

Actor named headline names Ukraine's armed forces as the attacker×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

2 false2 misleading5 disputed38 unverified12 true

From 26630 reports we hold under this byline, at RIA Novosti, Regnum. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

Р Роман Петренко Ukrainska Pravda

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Attribution inside the sentence the figure of 21,000 by noon is sourced by name in the only report that sources it×1

Hedged claim adds 'allegedly' to the cyberattack claim×1

How hard the claim is stated the report adds 'allegedly' (нібито) in its own voice×1

Quotation marks as judgement the vote and the Transnistrian leader are both placed in quotation marks; Moldova's objection is not×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

5 unverified1 true

From 161 reports we hold under this byline, at Ukrainska Pravda. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

У Уляна Кричковська-Богданова Ukrainska Pravda

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Attribution inside the sentence the figure of 21,000 by noon is sourced by name in the only report that sources it×1

Headline word The headline uses 'provocations' without quotation marks, so the word is not clearly attributed to the speaker.×1

Label in own voice The headline calls the incidents Russian provocations in its own words, not in quotation marks×1

Named actor A named US official is the one acting, and Russia is the one asked to answer.×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

2 disputed3 unverified1 true

From 308 reports we hold under this byline, at Ukrainska Pravda. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

R Roman Petrenko Ukrainska Pravda

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Asserted or attributed attribution inside the sentence, before the claim×1

Assertion vs attribution The same figure is stated flat as 'neutralised', with no attribution and no word on what it counts×1

Assertion vs attribution The loss figure is stated flat, not attributed in the sentence, and 'neutralised' leaves open what it counts×1

Attribution verb 'has claimed' rather than 'said'×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

1 misleading1 disputed6 unverified1 true

From 129 reports we hold under this byline, at Ukrainska Pravda. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

U Ulyana Krychkovska-Bogdanova Ukrainska Pravda

What the bias passes found in their reporting

What is hedged the turnout figure carries reportedly with no counting party named, while the defiance of Moldova is stated flat×1

What is stated flat the same events written without quotation marks; the hedge moves onto the turnout figure alone×1

From 121 reports we hold under this byline, at Ukrainska Pravda. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

M Munteanu Gabriela Ziarul de Gardă

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Actor named Ties the shell to Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, citing the Border Police.×1

Attribution The injured count is attributed to the mayor, through a news agency.×1

Attribution sabotage charge attributed to Estonia×1

Casualty count one dead and seven injured, children counted separately; no one named×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

2 disputed3 unverified4 true

From 371 reports we hold under this byline, at Ziarul de Gardă. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

The bylines on the reports this story is built from. Hover one for what our passes have measured on their reporting.

Coverage, outlet by outlet

O Obozrevatel —

Россия открыла избирательные участки в Приднестровье, несмотря на протест Молдовы: проголосовал даже "глава ПМР"

Puts the polling stations themselves inside quotation marks and leads on Krasnoselsky voting, calling him the "head of PMR"; it gives no number of stations and no turnout.

Россия открыла "избирательные участки" в непризнанном Приднестровье для проведения псевдовыборов в Государственную думу РФ. Это произошло несмотря на протест конституционных властей Молдовы, которые согласовали проведение голосования лишь на одном участке в российском посольстве в Кишиневе. В псевдовыборах принял участие и непризнанный "глава ПМР" Вадим Красносельский. Об этом сообщает издание NewsMaker.md. В Приднестровье открыли "избирательные участки" "Избирательные участки" в Приднестровье начали работу 20 сентября в 08:00 и должны работать до 20:00. По данным местных СМИ, в регионе открыл

Quotation marks as judgement: polling stations and head of the territory are both quoted away in the same sentence — “Россия открыла избирательные участки в Приднестровье, несмотря на протест Молдовы: проголосовал даже "глава ПМР"”

Whose word is used: polling stations in quotation marks in the lede and the leader's title in quotation marks in the headline — “«Избирательные участки» в Приднестровье начали работу 20 сентября”

Read it at Obozrevatel → https://www.obozrevatel.com/novosti-mir/rossiya-otkryila-izbiratelnyie-…

R RIA Novosti — state-controlled

В посольстве России рассказали о ходе голосования в Кишиневе

The only Russian state report we hold, and we hold only its headline: the Russian embassy's account of voting in Chisinau. No station east of the Dniester appears in it, and neither does Moldova's objection.

Whose voice is quoted: the only report built on a Russian official account covers the one station Moldova agreed to — “В посольстве России рассказали о ходе голосования в Кишиневе”

Whose voice is quoted: the Russian embassy is the sole source and Moldova's objection does not appear in the headline — “В посольстве России рассказали о ходе голосования в Кишиневе”

Read it at RIA Novosti → https://ria.ru/20260920/rossija-2118990181.html

U Ukrainska Pravda — independent

Жителі Придністров’я голосують на виборах до Держдуми РФ

The fullest account: the hours, 08:00 to 20:00; the turnout figure credited by name to Newsmaker; Moldova's foreign ministry calling the openings unacceptable; and Krasnoselsky's earlier announcement that he would open

У невизнаному Придністров'ї у неділю, 20 вересня, відкрили виборчі дільниці для "виборів" до Державної думи Росії, попри протест конституційних органів влади Молдови. Джерело: Newsmaker, "Європейська правда" Деталі: Зазначається, що до 12:00 проголосували понад 21 тисяч осіб. Єдина виборча дільниця, відкриття якої було узгоджено з молдовською владою, розташована в посольстві Росії в Кишиневі. Виборчі дільниці в Придністров'ї розпочали роботу о 08:00 і працюватимуть до 20:00. У виборах також взяв участь "глава" Придністров'я Вадим Красносельський. Читайте також: На тимчасово окупованій частині

Quotation marks as judgement: the vote and the Transnistrian leader are both placed in quotation marks; Moldova's objection is not — “у невизнаному Придністров'ї у неділю, 20 вересня, відкрили виборчі дільниці для "виборів" до Державної думи Росії, попри протест конституційних органів влади Молдови”

Attribution inside the sentence: the figure of 21,000 by noon is sourced by name in the only report that sources it — “Джерело: Newsmaker, "Європейська правда"”

Whose word is used: the vote is held inside quotation marks throughout, as is the leader's title, marking it as not a real election — “У невизнаному Придністров'ї у неділю, 20 вересня, відкрили виборчі дільниці для "виборів" до Державної думи Росії”

What is attributed: the turnout figure is given in an impersonal construction — it is noted — with no counter named — “Зазначається, що до 12:00 проголосували понад 21 тисяч осіб.”

Read it at Ukrainska Pravda → https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2026/09/20/8054327/

U Ukrainska Pravda — independent

Russia opens unauthorised Duma election polling stations in Transnistria, defying Moldovan ban

The same outlet in English states the opening and the number 17 flat, without quotation marks, and moves the hedge onto the turnout alone — "reportedly" — with no counter named.

Despite protests from the constitutional authorities of Moldova on Sunday 20 September, in unrecognised Transnistria, polling stations opened for elections to the State Duma of Russia (lower chamber of the Russian parliament). Source: European Pravda, citing Newsmaker Details: Over 21,000 people had voted by 12:00. The only polling station whose opening was agreed upon with the Moldovan authorities is located at the Russian Embassy in Chișinău. Polling stations in Transnistria opened at 08:00 and will operate until 20:00. The so-called head of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky, also took part i

What is hedged: the turnout figure carries reportedly with no counting party named, while the defiance of Moldova is stated flat — “Russia opened 17 polling stations in Transnistria despite Moldova’s protests, with more than 21,000 people reportedly voting by noon.”

What is stated flat: the same events written without quotation marks; the hedge moves onto the turnout figure alone — “Russia opened 17 polling stations in Transnistria despite Moldova’s protests, with more than 21,000 people reportedly voting by noon.”

Read it at Ukrainska Pravda → https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/09/20/8054327/

Z Ziarul de Gardă —

„Rusia-mamă mă cheamă”. Numeroși polițiști, militari și bărbați în civil la secțiile de votare din Tiraspol, unde răsună cântece în limba rusă

The only report written from outside the doors: reporters at three stations in Tiraspol describe police, soldiers, heavy-set men in plain clothes with dark glasses, police cars and vans, metal detectors, Russian songs

Principală — Reporter Special — Fotoreportaje — „Rusia-mamă mă cheamă”. Numeroși polițiști,… „Rusia-mamă mă cheamă”. Numeroși polițiști, militari și bărbați în civil la secțiile de votare din Tiraspol, unde răsună cântece în limba rusă Sursa: ZdG Marina GORBATOVSCHI 523 articole Polițiști și militari în preajma secțiilor, bărbați masivi îmbrăcați în civil și cu ochelari negri, mașini și dubițe ale poliției, dar și detectoare de metale la intrări. Aceasta este atmosfera surprinsă de reporterii ZdG la trei secții de votare din Tiraspol. Din interior răsună cântece în limba rusă, iar la Palatul R

Which measure was chosen: the day is measured by what reporters saw at the doors — police, plain-clothes men, metal detectors — with no official quoted — “Polițiști și militari în preajma secțiilor, bărbați masivi îmbrăcați în civil și cu ochelari negri, mașini și dubițe ale poliției, dar și detectoare de metale la intrări.”

What was seen, not said: the only account written from outside the polling stations, describing police, soldiers, plainclothes men and metal detectors — “Polițiști și militari în preajma secțiilor, bărbați masivi îmbrăcați în civil și cu ochelari negri, mașini și dubițe ale poliției, dar și detectoare de metale la intrări.”

Read it at Ziarul de Gardă → https://www.zdg.md/stiri/rusia-mama-ma-cheama-numerosi-politisti-milita…

Checked, didn’t cover

M Meduza T The Moscow Times S Suspilne I Interfax U Ukrinform M Mediazona N Novaya Gazeta Europe T TASS

Silence is recorded, not inferred — each of these was read when we built this story and carried nothing on this event.

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Ukrainska Pravda says 17 stations opened in Transnistria; RIA Novosti reports only the embassy in Chisinau

What is being argued about

Whose words go in quotation marks

One figure, one source

Claims and verdicts

Who wrote it

Coverage, outlet by outlet