After the series of explosions which damaged a tower relaying Russian radio frequencies in Mayak in the separatist region of Transnistria, supported by Moscow and near the Ukrainian border, Moldova announced on Tuesday measures to strengthen its security, raising fears a spillover from the current conflict in Ukraine.
“This is an attempt to increase tensions.
We strongly condemn such actions.
The Moldovan authorities will take care to prevent the republic from being drawn into a conflict,” said Moldovan President Maïa Sandu after a meeting of the National Security Council.
Among the measures taken to ensure the security of this small Eastern European country, the strengthening of road and transport controls, border patrols and additional measures to protect “essential infrastructure”.
At the same time, the Head of State also called on the population to be "calm".
In Moldova, this series of measures raises fears of targeted attacks from Moscow, while kyiv on Tuesday accused Russia of wanting to “destabilize” Transnistria in order to be able to justify a military intervention.
Russia is “closely monitoring” the situation
Moscow "wants to destabilize the Transnistria region, which suggests that Moldova should expect to receive Russian 'guests'", declared on Twitter an adviser to the Ukrainian presidency, Mikhaïlo Podoliak.
Moldova's concern was heightened by a series of explosions that occurred on Monday and Tuesday in the separatist region of Transnistria, to which Russia provides economic and military support.
The day before the explosions targeting the radio tower, the authorities of Transnistria, whose independence is not recognized by the international community, had declared that the headquarters of the Ministry of Public Security in Tiraspol, the regional capital, had suffered shots.
For its part, Russia "is following the situation carefully", Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday, adding that "the information that comes from it arouses concern".
The violence that occurred on Monday and Tuesday in Transnistria caused no casualties, but the local authorities have decided to raise the "terrorist" alert level for 15 days, thus strengthening the powers of the security forces.
“The level of security is recognized as critical.
Decision has been taken to introduce a 'red' alert level for the terrorist threat", can we read in a decree of the pro-Russian leader of this separatist region, Vadim Krasnosselski, who assures that the first elements of the investigation into the incidents on Monday and Tuesday "lead to Ukraine".
Transnistria, an additional bridgehead for the invasion of Ukraine?
For some specialists, Transnistria, where 1,500 Russian soldiers are already present, could serve as an additional bridgehead for the invasion of southern Ukraine.
Concern over a possible escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in Moldova had already increased last week after a Russian general claimed that Moscow wanted to take over southern Ukraine to gain direct access to Transnistria.
General Rustam Minnekayev, the deputy commander of the forces of the Military District of Central Russia, had also denounced the "oppression" which he said Russian speakers are subject to in Moldova, a pretext already invoked by Moscow to intervene in Ukraine.
In the process, Moldova summoned the Russian ambassador to protest against these statements perceived as threats, calling on Russia to respect its "territorial integrity".
