Transnistria adopted this design that comprises a version of the flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic used between 1952 and 1990 in the 2000 Law about State Symbols.

In an internationally-recognised 2006 referendum, 97.2% of Transnistrians were reported to have voted in favor of their country's annexation by Russia.

In April 2017, the Supreme Council passed a motion making the new design Transnistria's co-official national flag.

[3] The current president of Transnistria, Vadim Krasnoselsky, a self-identified monarchist, has stated that he considers the Soviet symbolism in the emblems of his country to be "irrelevant".

[4] Transnistrian law permits the use of a simplified version of the flag for non-governmental use (personal and commercial usage) without the hammer and sickle and red star and regard to shape or size.