A consortium of international media has found a “plan” of the Kremlin to put the country back under its sphere of influence even before the start of the war in Ukraine.
The rumor is not new, but this time a plan reveals Moscow’s intentions. Could Russia take control of Moldova, a former Soviet republic of 2.6 million inhabitants, located between Ukraine and Romania? The question has arisen regularly since the start of the war in Ukraine. However, a consortium of international media, including the Ukrainian online newspaper, Kyiv Independent (article in English), reveals that Moscow was actually planning to put the country back under its sphere of influence even before the start of the war in Ukraine.
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These media have thus found a document which explains in detail how the Kremlin intended to go about it. This “plan”, planned over 10 years, was thought up by the Kremlin in early 2020, after the election as head of the country of the pro-European, Maia Sandu. Moscow’s objective: to do everything to obtain a negative perception of NATO on the spot, and to favor pro-Russian influence groups.
This passed through the control of information, via television, but also through the Russian language, which was to regain an official status, and also through the economy, by making Moldova dependent on the ruble and gas. All this, relying on the separatist region of Transnistria, where Moscow has 1,500 soldiers. Populated by Russian speakers and home to key industries (energy, steel, cement), it de facto broke away from Chisinau, the Moldavian capital, in 1992 after a short war.
But this plan was quickly compromised by the war in Ukraine. The nation of 2.6 million inhabitants, one of the poorest in Europe, has, on the contrary, moved closer to Western countries, obtaining last June the status of candidate for the European Union.
“Hybrid” war and “anti-Russian hysteria”
On the spot, the Moldovan authorities say they are perfectly aware of these attempts at destabilization by the Kremlin, and speak of war “hybrid“. In an interview with AFP on March 13, 2023, the Minister of Defense, Anatolie Nosatii, indicated that“There is currently no imminent military danger against Moldova, but there are other types of risks that affect security“, evoking “misinformation, tensions in society generated by Russia“, “a set of provocations“intended to sow chaos and to”change the political order“.
The day before, the police had announced the arrest of members of a network they suspect of being orchestrated by Moscow. The alleged troublemakers are accused of having wanted to destabilize the country by intervening during the anti-government demonstrations which regularly shake the Moldovan capital. Moscow denies and denounces unfounded information, castigating “anti-Russian hysteria“.