KISHINEV, Moldova -- Final results released Tuesday appeared to leave no doubt about voters' wishes in the small republic of Transdnestr: They want independence from Moldova.


With all the ballots in Sunday's referendum counted, 81.8 percent approved adopting an independent constitution and 90.6 percent favored trying to join the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Moscow-dominated organization of former Soviet republics.


The central government in Moldova, a former Soviet republic bordering Romania and a member of the CIS, had declared the voting illegitimate, but apparently could do little to stop it.


Transdnestr, a tiny strip of land of about 4,000 square kilometers, is populated mostly by ethnic Ukrainians and Russians. Elsewhere in Moldova, ethnic Romanians predominate.


The region's independence drive is a pet cause of Russian nationalists. Moscow has 5,000 troops in the region helping prop up the separatist government. A representative of the Russian government said Tuesday that the enclave should remain part of Moldova but be granted far-reaching autonomy, Itar-Tass reported.


Separatist authorities showed further signs Tuesday of possibly manipulating figures in an effort to ensure that voter participation surpassed the 50 percent threshold necessary for the referendum to be valid.


Transdnestr's central election commission in the city of Tiraspol said Tuesday that 58.2 percent of 440,000 registered voters cast ballots. On Monday, however, authorities had said there were 452,000 eligible voters and the day before the total was even higher: 499,499.


Similar moves by Transdnestr authorities were reported earlier this year during a referendum on the withdrawal of the Russian troops.