History of Tighina

Due to the city's key strategic location on the right bank of Dniester river, 10 km from left-bank Tiraspol, Bender saw the heaviest fighting of the 1992 War of Transnistria.

Since 1992, Bender has been formally in the demilitarized zone established at the end of the conflict, but is de facto controlled by Transnistrian authorities. Moldovan authorities control the commune of Varniţa, which fringes the city to the north. Transnistrian authorities control the communes of Proteagailovca, which borders the city to the west, Gîsca, which borders the city to the south-west, Chiţcani and Cremenciug, further to the south-east, while Moldovans are in control of Copanca, further to the south-east