The Russian Ambassador to Moldova threatened to "defend" Transnistria; Chisinau responded
Russian Ambassador to Moldova Oleg Ozerov stated that Moscow would “protect” Russian citizens in the Transnistria region “by all available means” in the event of a military or violent resolution of the conflict.
This was reported by Newsmaker.
Ozerov warned of a possible Russian response in the event of an attempt at a “forceful scenario” regarding Transnistria.
“We are considering all options, all scenarios, including unlikely ones. But even if they are unlikely today, tomorrow it could be a different story,” the Russian ambassador said, commenting on a possible escalation between the two banks of the Dniester.
At the same time, the diplomat shifted responsibility for possible consequences onto the Moldovan authorities.
Moldovan Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi urged the Russian ambassador to focus on diplomatic functions rather than political statements.
“These attempts to destabilize the situation in Moldova are part of a hybrid war mechanism that has been ongoing for several years. We recommend that Mr. Ozerov focus on diplomatic activities, because it is not Moldovan drones that are intruding into Russian airspace, but Russian ones. It is not Moldovan troops that are stationed near the Russian Federation, but Russian troops that have been illegally stationed near Moldova for over 30 years. And the sovereignty of our country and its neutrality are being undermined by only one state in the world—the Russian Federation,” the Foreign Minister emphasized.
He also noted that Russian-speaking citizens of Moldova do not face discrimination and have constitutionally protected rights, unlike the situation within Russia.
Prior to this, the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs called unfounded the statements by Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu regarding alleged threats to Russian citizens in Transnistria.
Earlier, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu stated that the situation surrounding Transnistria allegedly resembles the events in Donbas after 2014. He accused Moldova and Ukraine of “pressuring” the region and suggested the possibility of Russian intervention.
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