Russia Eyes Eastern Ukraine: Moldova General Sounds Alarm
Brigadier General Vitalie Stoian, a former commander of Moldova's National Army, stated on Moldova 1 that Russia's strategic objective is to conquer eastern and southeastern Ukraine.
In the best-case scenario, Russian forces could reach the Nistru River, bordering Moldova, and in the worst case, the Ukrainian-Romanian border.
Military experts point out that Russia has currently concentrated its forces in the Kharkiv and Sumy regions, forcing Ukraine to withdraw troops from the southern and southeastern areas. Persistent attacks by Russia in the Kharkiv region could be countered, according to Stoian, if Ukraine were to receive advanced weapon systems, particularly F-16 fighter jets, and if it could launch long-range attacks.
"To counter enemy missile or bomber strikes," Stoian said in an interview on the 'Good Evening' program, "we need to destroy the launch sites. For example, Himars systems with Atacams missiles can strike targets up to 300 kilometres away. This would save Ukrainian lives, both military and civilian."
Last year, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive that ultimately failed due to a lack of adequate weaponry. The analyst Mihai Isac contends that Ukraine is currently awaiting Western military aid. Without securing air superiority through the provision of F-16 or Gripen fighter jets, Ukraine has no chance of reclaiming the territories illegally seized by Russia.
Isac further argues that Western states' inability to reach a consensus on supporting Ukraine creates new opportunities for Russia to exploit these temporary weaknesses. He highlights the rising costs and logistical challenges associated with acquiring necessary weaponry. Furthermore, modern warfare demands a well-rounded soldier with engineering and programming skills in addition to traditional combat training.
Isac concludes by emphasising the importance of the conflict in Ukraine. "Ukraine is a crucial testing ground for new technologies and tactics," he said. "The West must be concerned by the situation in Ukraine, because if Ukraine falls, we are next."
Translation by Iurie Tataru
