Russia has no forces to invade Ukraine from Transnistria, but seeks to destabilize Moldova - NATO

This was stated by NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana, RBC-Ukraine reports, referring to the broadcast of the Munich Security Conference.

"Today, Russia does not have forces to get to Transnistria and to encircle Ukraine from the back, which is still the plan; then to take Odesa, and then to have a territorial land corridor to the Western Transnistria. We don’t see Russia having enough forces to be doing that," he said.

He added that Russia is trying to undermine the democracy in Moldova.

"Now Russia does not have enough forces to use Transnistria to surround Ukraine from behind, and this plan still exists, then capture Odesa, and then get a land corridor to western Transnistria. We don't see Russia having the strength to do that," he said.

The deputy NATO Secretary General stated that Russia has "not the capacity nor the intention to start waging a war against NATO".

"They have enough trouble in Ukraine, and we have to help Ukraine, giving them even more trouble. What I’m saying is, we are also very cautious in avoiding the risk of escalation," he said.

• Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian intelligence had intercepted a Russian plan to destabilize the political situation in Moldova. Subsequently, Moldovan President Maia Sandu confirmed the words of the Ukrainian president and said that it was not the first time that Russia had tried to destabilize the situation in her country.