Russian Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov advised Moldovan authorities to be cautious in their assessments of the Transdniestrian settlement and with regard to Russian peacekeepers. His words transmits telegram channel of the radio station “Mayak”.
“As far as Transdniestrian affairs are concerned, [Россия] continue to exercise their respective functions. <…> I would like to recommend to our Moldovan counterparts to be very careful with such statements,” the Kremlin spokesman said.
He also noted that Russia has “very tense” relations with Moldova, but at the same time Chisinau “also sinks into such anti-Russian hysteria”.
“Such a lack of constructivism can hardly help Moldova itself and, of course, it harms our bilateral relations,” Peskov added.
On February 18, the new Prime Minister of Moldova, Presidential Advisor for National Security and Defense Dorin Recean declared TV8.md television channel which Pridnestrovie needs to be demilitarized with the withdrawal of the Russian army, it is also necessary to achieve the economic and social integration of citizens.
According to him, a “hybrid war” is underway against Moldova and, despite declarations on its neutrality, the country should ensure that it strengthens its defense in order to repel “potential aggression”.
On February 9, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he had handed Moldovan leader Maia Sandu a “Russian document” with a plan to destabilize the political situation in Moldova. According to Zelenskyy , this document contains information about “who, when and as a result of what actions will break Moldova, the democratic order of this country and establish their control over it.” Oleksiy Danilov, secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine, also spoke about the coup allegedly prepared by Russia in Moldova. On February 13, Sandu reported that Chisinau was able to confirm Ukrainian intelligence data that Russia intends to destabilize the political situation in Moldova. The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, in turn called the statements of the President of Moldova “absolutely unfounded and unfounded”.
Russian peacekeepers have been in Transnistria since 1992, when the active phase of the conflict between the unrecognized republic and Moldova ended.
