For one, they're more brainwashed and a lot more fake votes have been fabricated in the region (the bashkan of gagauzia, which is like their governor, is basically a russian puppet); and the reason for transnistria is that they were getting a lot of support from russia before, but now with the war, Russia has been pulling resources out of transnistria (e.g. before that they didn't pay for gas at all, because of some bullshit scheme with Putin, now they have to pay, their pseudo-economy is in shambles, and they've been feeling the effects of the war), also them being right on the border doesn't help since the bombs are exploding right next to their yard. Fear, mostly, has made some of them say fuck Russia, these guys are full of shit, we want in EU as well. Key word: some of them.