The Russian leadership has repeatedly lied, but in retrospect has clearly expressed strategic war aims. Is there a threat of expansion to the Moldovan separatist region of Transnistria?
Traffic light politicians Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann and Anton Hofreiter warn that the Russian war of aggression could spread to the separatist region of Transnistria in the Republic of Moldova.
«One has to fear that Moldova is the next target. And that’s why we are so firmly convinced that Putin must now be stopped in Ukraine,” said Hofreiter (Greens), chairman of the European Committee in the Bundestag, the German Press Agency in a joint interview with Strack-Zimmermann (FDP). . If Putin “gets away with some form of victory, it’s only a matter of time before it’s the next country’s turn: Moldova then the Baltics.” Both the Baltics and Poland had serious concerns that they might be invaded next.
Transnistria as leverage for Moscow
Moldova borders the EU state of Romania to the west and is surrounded by Ukraine to the east. Pro-Russian separatists control Transnistria, a narrow strip of land between the Dniester River and the border with Ukraine that is slightly larger than Luxembourg. Russian soldiers are stationed there. Transnistria is a lever for Moscow to put pressure on the ex-Soviet Republic of Moldova. An advance by Russian troops further along the Ukrainian Black Sea coast and then north to Transnistria would be conceivable.
“Of course, what applies to Ukraine also applies to Moldova. It’s about the fundamental question of reincorporating self-sufficient countries into a large Russian empire,” said Strack-Zimmermann, who chairs the Defense Committee. “Articulated again and again by Vladimir Putin in the past, but obviously in such a way that Germany saw the opportunity to ignore it or even to ignore it.” She also referred to experiences from Lithuania, where people were also afraid, but had not been heard for a long time. “Basically, it’s terrible when I tell them I’m afraid there’s a neighbor who’s following me and wants to annex the country. But they say: Take it easy, it won’t be that bad, don’t imagine it.”
Tank deliveries agreed
Strack-Zimmermann made it clear that she expected rapid progress on the agreed delivery of Gepard anti-aircraft tanks to the Ukraine. “The political decision is now there,” she said. The export of war weapons must now be signed in the Ministry of Economic Affairs. “But then a contract is needed between Ukraine and industry, even if we pay for it. It is now the job of the industry to get the tanks roadworthy as quickly as possible, to deliver them and to ensure that the appropriate ammunition is added. »
The armaments manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has 50 used tanks in stock and is awaiting arrangements for sale. It is also being checked whether a medium single-digit number of the Panzerhaubitze 2000 can be sold from Bundeswehr stocks. «Our responsibility is to bring the weapons to the Ukrainian border. Beyond the border is a war zone, that’s the responsibility of Ukraine,” said Hofreiter. “Under international law there is no difference between light and heavy weapons, what matters is that we support an attacked country.”
Strack-Zimmermann emphasized: “Whether it takes weeks or months is not the only relevant factor. What is relevant is that Russia must know that weapons will follow for Ukraine while they themselves are losing weapons,” said Strack-Zimmermann. «The Russians will have followed this debate. It is a signal and an important announcement. There’s a lot going on now.”
Source: Stern
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