During a January 18 meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Moldovan delegates called for an investigation into Russian peacekeepers.
They raised concerns about the use of small arms, drones, and imitation weapons during a 22 December 2023 exercise, ISW reported.
Moldova’s authorities said the use of these weapons by Russian peacekeeping forces violated existing protocols.
In response, a prominent Russian blogger affiliated to the Kremlin claimed on 21 January that Moldovan authorities had been intensifying pressure on the Russian-backed breakaway republic of Transnistria, ISW reported.
The milblogger claimed Moldova’s goal was to forcibly reintegrate Transnistria into Moldova, echoing recent statements by Transnistrian President Vadim Krasnoselsky.
The allegations from the milblogger and Krasnoselsky, appear to be part of an information campaign intending to destabilize Moldova.
Moldova shares a border with NATO member Romania.
Russian forces have maintained a presence in Transnistria, a breakaway region on Moldova’s east, since 1992 following a war with Moldovan government forces.
The Moldovan government considers the presence of Russian troops within its borders as illegitimate and has repeatedly called for their withdrawal, advocating a presence of international forces. However, Russia has consistently opposed these demands.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe officially recognized Transnistria as Moldovan territory under Russian occupation in March 2022.
Russia uses ammo depot in Trans-Dniester ‘to smuggle weapons across Ukrainian borders’
