Russian Ministry of Defense Accuses Ukraine of Planning to Attack Transnistria
The Russian foreign ministry issued a warning on Friday to NATO and Ukraine not to take any “adventurous steps” in Transnistria – a region of Moldova where around 1,500 Russian soldiers are stationed.[0] The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned that any move made by Ukraine or the West that might endanger Russian peacekeepers or citizens in Transnistria, the Moldovan separatist region, will be considered an attack on Russia.[1] A warning was issued to Kyiv and its supporters from the West to refrain from taking any “provocations” actions.[1]
Ukraine denies any such plans and has responded to the statement by the Russian Ministry of Defense, saying that the increased measures along the border with Transnistria are solely “to prevent any provocations from the other side.”[2]
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that Russia’s claims of Ukrainian plans for a false flag attack on Transnistria are a “false narrative” that “does not indicate that Putin intends to attack Moldova,” with the goal instead being “an escalation in his ongoing efforts to undermine the Moldovan state.”
Belarusian Ministry of Defence and Ukrainian intelligence officials also claim to have seen a build up of “Ukrainian forces” near to the border of Belarus and Russia’s Chernihiv Oblast region, respectively.
At the Munich Security Conference, President Maia Sandu of Moldova emphasized the importance of including her nation in Europe's security structure.[3] In response, Russian authorities have accused Ukraine of planning to stage some sort of false flag operation in order to justify the invasion of the separatist territory of Transnistria.
The extraordinary claim was made by the Russian Defence Ministry, which said Ukraine would stage some sort of false flag operation in order to justify the invasion of the separatist territory of Transnistria. For over three decades, approximately 1,300 Russian soldiers have been deployed in Transnistria, located between Ukraine and the remainder of Moldova.[4]
Russian convoys with unmarked military equipment and personnel dressed in uniforms resembling those worn by the Ukrainian military have been spotted near the Belarus border in Russia's Chernihiv Oblast.
President Joseph R. Biden Jr. met with Moldovan President Maia Sandu in Warsaw and reaffirmed strong U.S. support for Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.[5]
0. “Russia warns Ukraine and NATO countries regarding Transnistria” News.Az, 24 Feb. 2023, https://news.az/news/russia-warns-ukraine-and-nato-countries-regarding-transnistria
1. “Russia warns US, NATO, and Ukraine over Transnistria” Mehr News Agency – English Version, 24 Feb. 2023, https://en.mehrnews.com/news/197761/Russia-warns-US-NATO-and-Ukraine-over-Transnistria
2. “It's now one year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began: Live updates” CNN, 24 Feb. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/russia-ukraine-war-news-02-24-23/h_0b3605f41477e7affe279299ec9f8a91
3. “Anti-govt protests in Moldova as President speaks to world leaders in Munich” TVP World, 19 Feb. 2023, https://tvpworld.com/66434581/antigovt-protests-in-moldova-as-president-speaks-to-world-leaders-in-munich
4. “Russia accuses Ukraine of planning to invade Moldova's breakaway region” The Telegraph, 23 Feb. 2023, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/02/23/russia-accuses-ukraine-planning-invade-moldovas-breakaway-region
5. “Romania stands by Moldova “under any scenario,” president says” Romania-Insider.com, 23 Feb. 2023, https://www.romania-insider.com/president-romania-stands-moldova-any-scenario
