Moldova, a small former Soviet republic sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, is concerned about an attempt by the Kremlin to subvert its government and create a Russian client state in its stead. Earlier today, Moldova's President Maia Sandu described a plot by Russia to infiltrate saboteurs and agents to create chaos and attack government facilities. The Associated Press reports:
"Moldova’s president outlined Monday what she described as a plot by Moscow to overthrow her country’s government using external saboteurs, put the nation 'at the disposal of Russia' and derail its aspirations to one day join the European Union.
President Maia Sandu’s briefing comes a week after neighboring Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his country had intercepted plans by Russian secret services to destroy Moldova, claims that were later confirmed by Moldovan intelligence officials.
'The plan for the next period involves actions with the involvement of diversionists with military training, camouflaged in civilian clothes, who will undertake violent actions, attack some state buildings, and even take hostages,' Sandu told reporters at a briefing.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly a year ago, Moldova, a former Soviet republic of about 2.6 million people, has sought to forge closer ties with its Western partners. Last June, it was granted EU candidate status, the same day as Ukraine. [snip]
She defiantly vowed: “The Kremlin’s attempts to bring violence to our country will not succeed.”
For roughly 30 years, Russia has militarily supported the pro-Russian Moldovan breakaway province of Transnistria, stationing 1,500 troops there on its border with Ukraine. Putin no doubt sees an opportunity to turn Moldova into a friendly base -- like Belarus -- for potentially launching attacks into Ukraine. He also would like future membership of Moldova in the European Union and potentially NATO to be off the table.
Moldova's in much of the same situation that Ukraine was in prior to Russia's attacks. We and our allies have no mutual defense treaties with them, they have a desire to be part of the West, and they have a minority ethnic Russian population that Russia asserts needs its "protection." Whatever intelligence and material support we can provide to head off Russia's subversion would be wise.
