Moldova warns West it could be Putin’s next target - CNN
Moldovan officials warn the West that their country could be next on Putin’s list.
This is stated in the material CNN, reports Censor.NЕТ.
"Last month, the head of Moldova's security service warned that there is a "very high" risk that Russia will launch a new offensive in eastern Moldova in 2023. Moldova is not a NATO member, which makes it more vulnerable to Putin's agenda," the newspaper notes.
"If Russia launches a spring offensive that focuses on southern Ukraine, it could try again to creep up on Odesa and then connect with Transnistria, essentially creating a land bridge that runs across southern Ukraine and even closer to NATO territory," CNN added.
Julian Groza, former Deputy Foreign Minister of Moldova and Director of the Institute for European Policy and Reforms in Chisinau, said that Moldova is the most affected country by the war after Ukraine.
"We are still a small country with an underdeveloped economy, and this creates a lot of pressure," he added.
The publication notes that officials in Moldova warn the West that their country could be next on Putin's list.
As a reminder, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine's intelligence service had intercepted Russia's plans to seize power in Moldova.
On February 23, the Russian Defense Ministry twice stated that Ukrainian forces were allegedly planning to stage an armed provocation in Transnistria in the near future. The Moldovan and Ukrainian authorities denied this.
On February 24, the Moldovan Defense Ministry denied the Russian military's statement that Ukraine was allegedly preparing a provocation in Transnistria. The Moldovan Foreign Ministry made a similar statement.
