Moldova expressed its deep concern
to the ambassador about these remarks by Russian General Rustam Minnekayev, the Moldovan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Moldova considers these statements to be unfounded and contradictory with Russia’s support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country
the ministry continued.
Moldova is a neutral country
and calls on Moscow to respect this principle
he added.
Moldova’s concern relates to statements by General Rustam Minnekayev, deputy commander of the forces of the Central Russian Military District, who said on Friday that Moscow wanted to take the full control over the Donbass [est] and southern Ukraine
.
According to Mr. Minnekayev, the control of southern Ukraine must in particular make it possible to come to the aid of the pro-Russian separatists of Transdniestria, who have ruled this territory of Moldova bordering western Ukraine since 1992. A Russian military garrison is already there.
” Control of southern Ukraine is also a corridor to Transdniestria, where there are also cases of oppression of the Russian-speaking population. »
These declarations are enough to arouse the concern of the Moldavian authorities, Moscow having justified its invasion of Ukraine by accusing in particular the government of kyiv of persecuting the Russian-speaking populations.
Complex relations between Russia and Moldova, a former Soviet republic of 2.6 million inhabitants nestled between Romania and Ukraine, became strained after the election in 2020 of a pro-European president, Maia Sandu.
Transdniestria, which seceded from Moldova after a brief civil war in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union, has a population of around 500,000 and is supported economically and militarily by Moscow.
It is not recognized as a state by the international community.
