CSF Zimbru Chisinau was formed in 1947 as Dinamo Kishinev*. In 1950 they changed their name to Burevestnik Kishinev and in 1956 joined the top flight of the Soviet Union football league.

They finished the 1956 season in a respectable sixth place, nine points behind champions Spartak Moscow.

In 1958 the club was renamed Moldova Kishinev.

In 1964, having finished bottom of the first division Moldova Kishinev were relegated and it wasn't until 1974, following yet another name change, this time to Nistru Kishinev, that the club fought it's way back into the Soviet Union's top division.

Unfortunately for Nistru, the first season back saw them finish bottom of the league and relegated once again.

In 1977 the Soviet Union introduced a second division* and Nistru finished mid-table for the next four seasons before finally winning promotion back to the top division in 1982 having finished second behind Zalgiris Vilnius.

Normal service was resumed in 1983 when the club once again finished bottom of the Soviet Union's top division. Worse was to follow in 1986 when Nistru finished bottom of the I Liga and were relegated to the newly formed II Liga - the Soviet third division.

Nistru won promotion back to I Liga at the first attempt, but stayed in the division until the break up of the Soviet Union and the formation of the Moldovan National League in 1992.

The club changed its name to Zimbru Chisinau for the inaugural Moldovan league season and became the league's first ever champions.

Further league titles followed in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999 as well as a Moldovan Cup victory in 1998.