In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected Moscow’s assertion that Ukraine wished to take over the area, whereas Moldova reiterated there was no fact to the allegations.
Moscow,UPDATED: Feb 26, 2023 02:58 IST
Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu gestures whereas talking throughout a joint information convention with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov following his talks in Moscow, Russia (Reuters)
Russia informed the West on Friday that it will view as an assault on itself any actions that threatened Russian peacekeepers in Moldova’s breakaway Transdniestria area, in the future after Moscow accused Ukraine of planning an invasion.
In Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy rejected Moscow’s assertion that Ukraine wished to take over the area, whereas Moldova reiterated there was no fact to the allegations.
The warning comes amid elevated issues in Moldova, a small ex-Soviet republic bordering Ukraine, of a potential Russian menace. Its pro-European President Maia Sandu this month accused Moscow of plotting a coup.
On Thursday, Russia accused Kyiv of planning to invade Transdniestria, which borders Ukraine. The primarily Russian-speaking territory broke from Moldova’s management in 1990, a 12 months earlier than the collapse of the Soviet Union.
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“We warn the United States, NATO member states and their Ukrainian wards towards taking one more reckless step,” Russia’s overseas ministry.
“Any motion that threatens their safety can be thought-about below worldwide regulation as an assault on the Russian Federation.”
There are round 1,700 Russian troops in Transdniestria, which has a inhabitants of roughly 440,000.
Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu stated what he known as Russia’s “provocative” feedback a couple of potential Ukrainian assault have been unfaithful.
“The Moldovan authorities have rejected these statements as unfounded, made to control public opinion. The safety scenario within the area is secure,” he wrote on the Telegram messaging app on Friday.
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Zelenskiy informed a information convention that Russia was partaking in fixed provocations.
“They clearly perceive that we respect the territorial integrity of Moldova, and we imagine the territory of Transdniestria is the territory of the unbiased state of Moldova,” he stated.
Zelenskiy final week stated it was “apparent” Ukraine was not the final nation in Moscow’s sights and that the Kremlin was interested by methods to “strangle” Moldova.