A five-page document leaked by a Kremlin insider is a detailed description of how Russia plans to undermine Moldova’s independence.
A document leaked to several media shows that Russia has a plan to undermine Moldova’s independence.
The issue is reported, among other things, by the Swedish daily newspaper Expressen (you switch to another service). Expressen’s story is part of a wider international media cooperation.
Earlier in February, the media got their hands on similar papers, which revealed Russia’s desire to annex Belarus.
He was the first to tell about it in Finland Ilta-Sanomat (you switch to another service).
The document was leaked from the Kremlin
A five-page document leaked by a Kremlin insider is a detailed description of how Russia plans to undermine Moldova’s independence. According to Expressen, it was prepared by the Russian president Vladimir Putin administration in cooperation with the Russian intelligence and security service.
The plan drawn up by Russia in 2021 is divided into three areas: military-political, economic, and humanitarian, and three periods: Until 2022, until 2025, and for the long term. The document describes “realistic goals over a ten-year period”.
The document states, among other things, that by 2025, Russia aims to stop, oppose and freeze cooperation between Moldova and the European Union, NATO and neighboring Romania. Romania is a member country of both the EU and NATO.
By 2025, Russia also intends to oppose Romania’s “expansion policy” in Moldova. Russia also wants to “develop military-political cooperation by strengthening connections between the countries through the armed forces and law enforcement authorities.”
In addition, Russia is trying to get pro-Russian politicians into Moldova’s political elite, strengthen the position of the Russian Orthodox Church and maintain Moldova’s dependence on Russian gas.
Prime Minister of Moldova Dorin Recean comments that Russia aims to deprive the country of its foreign policy sovereignty with its plans.
– They have been trying to realize their strategic goal for a long time, according to which Moldova does not have any kind of sovereignty in its foreign policy. It is the most important strategic goal, the Prime Minister told Expressen.
Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe, with Russian soldiers on its territory
Moldova is a small state of about two and a half million inhabitants located on the western side of Ukraine, a former Soviet republic that became an EU candidate country last summer at the same time as Ukraine.
Russia has targeted the country with a strong hybrid influence, taking advantage of the Transnistria region, which unilaterally seceded from Moldova, located in the eastern part of the country, near the Ukrainian border. The area has been under Russian control since 1990. There are about 1,500 Russian soldiers in the area, whom Russia calls peacekeepers.
In 2006, a referendum was held in Transnistria, where 97 percent of those who voted expressed their support for independence. The results have been considered fraudulent, but a significant part of the population of Transnistria is genuinely pro-Russian. A year ago, Transnistria announced its desire to join the Russian Federation.
On February 10, Moldova’s pro-Western government announced its resignation after months of protests. A correspondent who visited Moldova Suvi Turtiainen according to local sources, the protesters were paid to participate in anti-government demonstrations.
At the end of February, concern arose in Moldova about the threat of a coup organized by Russia. Then Prime Minister Sandu said that Russia’s purpose is to stop Moldova’s rapprochement with the EU. In addition, according to him, Russia is trying to use Moldova in an attack against Ukraine.