"RECOGNITION AS A TOOL OF INFLUENCE: RUSSIAN PATRONAGE AND THE TRANSNISTRIAN QUESTION"

This bachelor's thesis examines the political dimensions of state recognition through the case study of Transnistria, a de facto state that declared independence from Moldova in 1990 but remains internationally unrecognized. The research argues that state recognition functions as a political tool rather than a purely legal mechanism, with Russia strategically withholding recognition from Transnistria to maintain leverage over Moldova and the broader post-Soviet region. Grounded in the theoretical debate between declaratory and constitutive doctrines of state recognition, the study analyzes Russia's patronage mechanisms including military presence, economic support, citizenship policies, and diplomatic positioning. Through comparative analysis with other Russian-backed frozen conflicts (Abkhazia, South Ossetia, eastern Ukraine), the thesis demonstrates how maintaining de facto entities serves Russia's geopolitical interests more effectively than formal recognition. The research contributes to understanding recognition as a form of soft power in contemporary international politics and examines how non-recognition sustains regional instability while preventing Moldova's Euro-Atlantic integration.