Defence Minister: "There is no imminent military danger to the Republic of Moldova"
There is no imminent military danger against the Republic of Moldova at present, but there are other types of dangers affecting the country's security - hybrid warfare. The statement was made by Defence Minister Anatolie Nosatii in an interview with AFP.
By generating "disinformation and tensions within our society", Russia was trying "to change the political order, destabilise and overthrow state power", the minister said.
"The piece that is being tried at the moment is a set of provocations that the Russian Federation is trying to use to destabilise the situation," he continued.
Nosatii also regretted the repeated violation of the country's airspace by missiles targeting Ukraine, which he said was compounded by the country's inability to "fully defend" its skies.
The National Army has 6,500 soldiers and is equipped with largely obsolete Soviet-era equipment. It needs a thorough overhaul, which would require "time and funding", the minister said.
*"Moldova's ground forces have all kinds of weapons, including air defence, but they are old equipment that has not been modernised and this prevents our forces from operating at full capacity," Anatoly Nosatyi said.
Asked about the pro-Russian breakaway region on the left bank of the Dniester, where Moscow has around 1,500 troops and a large ammunition depot, Nosatii reiterated calls for the region to be demilitarised.
"We have consistently called for the unconditional evacuation of Russian forces illegally stationed on Moldovan territory, including the evacuation of the Cobasna ammunition depot," the defence minister said.
Nosayi called on Europe "to remain united and resolute in its unconditional support for Ukraine". By supporting Ukraine with "everything it needs for victory", Europe promotes "peace and security in all European countries, including Moldova", the minister argued.
"The latest statements of the European Union and our strategic partners show once again that Moldova will not be alone, neither now nor in the future, in the face of dangers and threats, including military ones," Anatoly Nosatii added.
