Moldova rejects russian claims that Ukraine is preparing a “provocation” in Transnistria

russia's defense ministry published a statement on Thursday, February 23, that the Ukrainian authorities were allegedly preparing a provocation against Transnistria. Chisinau denied moscow's statements.

As it became known from the statements of russia's defense ministry and the Government of Moldova, russia's allegations came at 5:10 a.m. Thursday, accusing Ukraine of "provocations" in Transnistria, a moscow-controlled unrecognized republic bordering Ukraine in the southwest. The statement mentions that they will allegedly be carried out by units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, particularly "with the involvement of the Azov nationalist formation."

The russian ministry said that as a "pretext for the invasion," Ukrainian troops were planning to stage the offensive by the russian forces from the territory of Transnistria, allegedly disguising themselves as servicemen of the russia armed forces.

Moldova which lost control over Transnistria, its sovereign territory, in the 1990s, immediately reacted to the claims, refuting them.

"The state authorities do not confirm the information the ministry of defense of russia disseminated this morning. We call for calmness and obtaining information from official and verified sources of the Republic of Moldova," Chisinau's official statement said, emphasizing that Moldovan agencies cooperate with foreign partners. In case of any threat to the country, they promise to inform society about it.

Last week, the President of Moldova, Maia Sandu, announced that moscow plans to carry out a coup d'état in Chisinau. She said that with the help of opposition protests, russia wants to change the government in the country.

Moldova's new Prime Minister Dorin Recean said that unrecognized Transnistria should be demilitarized, adding the russian contingent must be expelled. According to him, there is a hybrid war in Moldova, and moscow is trying to seize democratic processes and change the European course of the country.