“Russia’s most serious threat to Moldova since the beginning of the war”: Moscow seeks to restrict southern Ukraine to Moldovan secession

The Kremlin’s intentions in the new phase of the invasion of Ukraine, which began on Tuesday, were confirmed this Friday by one of the Kremlin’s top military officials. According to Major General Rustam Minnekaev, Russia wants to control not only eastern Ukraine (Luhansk and Donetsk regions), but also the southern part of the country, according to a report by Interfax. The aim is to open a land walkway along the Crimean coast (the peninsula that was annexed in 2014) with Transnistria.

“This is one of the tasks of the Russian military, since the beginning of the second phase of the special operation, which began two days ago. Establishing full control over the Donbass and southern Ukraine. This will provide a land route to the Crimea“This was confirmed by the Deputy Commander of the Russian Central Military District, citing the state agency TASS.

Transnistria turns out to be a territory in Moldova. Russia’s admission that it wants to build access to the region could point to a new danger of escalating the conflict beyond Ukrainian borders.

“Control of southern Ukraine is another route to transnistria, where there are signs of oppression of Russian-speaking people.”Maj. Gen. Rustam Minnekaev reiterated the argument that Russia used to launch the invasion of Ukraine, after recognizing independence in the secluded areas of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Rustam Minnekhov explained the plan during a meeting with companies of the Russian military industrial complex in Yekaterinburg (Urals). According to the military, the ban will “ensure that the Black Sea ports, the main infrastructure of the Ukrainian economy, supply agricultural and metallurgical goods.”

Russia wants to secede from Moldova with the same arguments used in Luhansk and Donetsk

The region of Transnistria resembles the eastern part of Moldova (the area marked in gray on the AFP map above), the country that gained independence after the fall of the Soviet Union. The small Roman-speaking territory maintains a pro-Western government.

However, Russian is the main language in the region and, as in the already occupied territories of Ukraine, pro-Russian separatism persists.

The The region declared independence in 1990 with the help of the Russian militaryHowever this is not the case in Moldova or the UN. Not recognized by member states. It has its own constitution, flag, anthem, currency and army.

Russia owns the territory, with a permanent military presence on the Dnestor River in the west and Ukraine in the east.

Ukraine’s largest port is in the crosshairs of Russian forces

The Guardian’s international correspondent Bijot Sauer points out that this is Russia’s “absolute threat” to Moldova since the beginning of the war.

“We are now fighting the whole world like a great patriotic war,” he said. Maj. Gen. Minnekayev said during the meeting using the name given to Russia for World War II (1939-1945). “The whole of Europe and the whole planet was against us at that time, and now it’s the same thing. They never wanted Russia.”

If this intention is fulfilled, cities like Odessa and Mykolayiv will be in the sight of Russian forces. Odessa is the largest Ukrainian port and the third largest city in the country. In Mykolaiv, near Kherson, there are already reports of attacks and fighting in the area occupied by Russian forces.