Moldova faces serious challenges of 'PMR' annexation to Russia, Ukraine must be prepared - Ukrainian officer Lapin

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

"Russians have another little trick up their sleeve. On February 28th, there's some congress gathering in the so-called Transnistria regarding annexation to Russia. I'm keeping an eye on this because this enclave borders Ukraine on one side and Moldova on the other. Currently, Moldova's President Maia Sandu faces very serious challenges, and in this case, we must be prepared as well. Because if you look at it, the quantity of armament and personnel in the “Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic '' along with the Russian 14th Army outweighs Moldova's forces. So, I think Romania should also be on standby if such a request comes from Maia Sandu," commented the Ukrainian Armed Forces officer.

According to him, Moldova should address this issue independently; however, for Ukraine, these signals are serious and threatening, requiring preparedness and attention

"Destabilization in this direction, diverting the attention of European partners, can occur, and this must be considered. Let's be frank: Moldova is playing an even riskier game with Transnistria than Ukraine did with the D/LPR (pseudo-states created by Russian occupying forces on the part of the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions). They're playing along there: calmly traveling, goods and people are moving, passports are being issued. Moldova needs to close ranks, especially concerning Transnistria, and prepare for physical confrontation because the Russians have their 14th army stationed there. Of course, many in that army are Moldovan citizens; I don't think they'll all rush to fight against Moldova under the Russian flag. But this enclave has significant capabilities for destabilization. I emphasize that the Transnistrian army there outnumbers Moldova's several times over, and this could be a serious challenge for Maia Sandu and her country. The Russians will ignite any regions they can," summarized Ihor Lapin.

• On February 22, it was disclosed that in the unrecognized Transnistria, preparations are underway to request Putin to annex the region to Russia. In Tiraspol, a "congress of MP at all levels" is slated for February 28, where the so-called Transnistrian politicians openly acknowledge that the meeting will center around discussions related to Russia.