The Kremlin has issued new threats against the Republic of Moldova, after Chisinau adopted a military strategy that identifies Russia as the “main threat” to national security.
The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, stated that “Moldova will not benefit from anything good” if it continues its European path and, at the same time, “confronts Russia”, reports the publication dialog.ua.
The statement, made on October 12, comes just a few days after the Government of Chisinau approved the National Security and Defense Strategy until 2035, a document that emphasizes the war triggered by Russia against Ukraine and the risks of extending the conflict to the borders of the Republic of Moldova.
The strategy mentions the danger of the existence of approximately 1,000 Russian soldiers in the separatist region of Transnistria, as well as the risk of forming a “land corridor” from southern Ukraine to the Moldovan borders.
In response, the authorities in Chisinau decided to increase the army’s personnel by a third and to raise the defense budget to 1% of GDP, gradually adopting NATO standards to strengthen defense capacity.
The new strategy is considered by analysts as a direct response to the pressures of the Kremlin, which is trying to keep the former Soviet republics in its sphere of influence through threats and political blackmail. The measures taken by Moldova are seen as a decisive step towards protecting sovereignty and independence from an authoritarian and aggressive regime.