During the heavy missile strikes on Ukrainian targets, Russian cruise missiles also apparently crossed Moldovan airspace. Ukraine’s neighbor is now considering closing its airspace. “We do not want to be a platform for the destruction of Ukraine,” Moldovan Interior Minister Ana Revenco emphasized in Vienna on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu announced on Monday that three Russian cruise missiles had penetrated Moldavia airspace to Ukraine. They were fired from warships in the Black Sea. “The fact that the missiles passed over our territory sent a strong message to our people,” Revenco said, apparently referring to strong pro-Russian sentiment in the country.
Pro-Russian demonstrations
Die Moldavia Society is “again” highly polarized, she admitted in a media call on the sidelines of the “Vienna Migration Conference” in Vienna. She sharply criticized the oligarch Ilan Shor, who controls the protests from abroad. The protesters “frankly say they get paid,” Revenco reported. “Because of the sheer amount of propaganda and fake news, you still believe that Moscow will come to your protection and it only needs one thing: a change of power,” said pro-European president Maia Sandu’s campaigner.
Probably also because of the delicate domestic political situation, Revenco was rather reluctant to comment on the two hot topics, Transnistria and NATO membership. “We stand for a peaceful solution,” she replied, when asked whether, given the “annexation” precedents that Moscow has set in Ukraine, it was not high time that the Russian occupation of the separatist area across from the Dniester River was terminated. At the same time, Revenco acknowledged the country’s neutrality, but added that there was nothing wrong with a strong army.
Currently 80,000 refugees in the country
In this context, Revenco called on the European Union to financially support their country as well. Finally, the gas crisis also affects Ukrainian refugees, many of whom are hosted by Moldovan families. If these could no longer heat, that would also have consequences for the refugees. According to the interior minister, there are currently about 80,000 internally displaced persons from the neighboring country in Moldova, 50 percent of whom are children. The cultural proximity and the absence of language barriers made integration easier, and the Moldovan population is still very receptive.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
