Zelenskyy warned of a new threat from Russia over Transnistria
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will respond to Russia’s decision to simplify the process of obtaining citizenship for people from Transnistria, as this may indicate Moscow’s broader intentions regarding the region.
The head of state announced this in an address.
According to Zelenskyy, this move may signify not only an attempt by Russia to recruit new soldiers—since Russian citizenship entails military service—but also the de facto designation of Transnistria as a territory under its influence.
“In Moscow, they often tell various interlocutors that they are supposedly interested only in Donbas. In reality, it is far from just Donbas,” the president emphasized.
He noted that the presence of Russian military forces and special services in Transnistria is a challenge for Ukraine.
Zelenskyy announced that he has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contact Moldova for a joint assessment of the situation and coordination of further actions. He also expects proposals from Ukrainian special services and intelligence regarding the response strategy.
“Russia needs to think more about its own oil refineries and oil transshipment facilities, rather than about the citizens of other states and the lands of other peoples,” the president added.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin signed a decree titled “On Granting Citizenship of the Russian Federation to Residents of Transnistria,” which simplifies the procedure for obtaining a Russian passport for residents of the unrecognized region of Moldova.
One of the European Union’s demands in the event of potential negotiations with Russia must be the withdrawal of Russian military forces from Transnistria.
