Russia wants to deploy 10,000 soldiers in the separatist region of Moldovan, the Prime Minister

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The country’s Prime Minister said that Russia wants to deploy 10,000 soldiers in the cross -border separation area on the borders of Ukraine and aims to confirm a pro -Kremlin government in Moldova to do so.

Moscow has a small number of soldiers in Transinsteria, which is controlled by separatists in a 33 -year -old struggle. With a non -coastal pocket between Ukraine and a supportive government of the European Union in Moldova, Russia is unable to send more forces there.

But the Prime Minister in Moldova Dorine Ripan told the Financial Times Russia He was interfering The upcoming parliamentary elections in the country in September, hoping that the most friendly future government will allow more soldiers to deploy.

“This is a great effort to undermine the democracy of Moldovan.”

“They want to unite their military presence in the region across levels.”

He said that the efforts to intervene in Moscow included advertising online and the conduct of illegal monetary transfers to parties and voters, adding that Russia spent the equivalent of 1 percent of GDP in Moldova on influence campaigns in 2024.

Last October, the European Union membership referendum approved only 0.7 percent of the voters, after the Recean government said it was The huge Russian influence campaign.

He said: “You can imagine with 10,000 soldiers, and what will be leverage and pressure in the southwestern part of Ukraine.” “But near Romania, a member state of NATO.”

The Kremlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Large numbers of Russian Federation soldiers were stationed in Transniseria after 1992, when Moscow mobilized forces to support the region in its war for independence from Moldova.

Since then, Russian forces have diminished in the region. There is now an estimated 1,500 soldiers wearing the Russian flag, but most of them are locals who join power, as only a handful of Russia has been sent.

“At the present time, it is almost meaningless. But with a higher military presence in the Treatysteria that the government of Russia can allow it, it can unite,” he said, adding that he relied on the target number 10,000 that lasts in intelligence assessments.

Most Russian units in Transnistria focus on securing a vast weapons store in the region that left the Soviet era. Chișinău has repeatedly called for their removal, saying that their presence is a violation of his sovereignty.

“We are very careful because their propaganda, their communication mechanisms are very strong. They spend a lot of money,” said Recean.

He said that the border guards in Moldovan threw citizens returning from Russia with an amount of $ 1.2 million in cash, while 130,000 voters were found in the presidential elections last year who had received money from Russian sources.

Ripan, who said his government is still focusing on “its strategic goal of becoming a member of the European Union”, in return, we must increase our defenses as well. But we also have to provide our agenda. “

Drawing maps by Stephen Bernard