EU candidate’s president eyeing attack on Russian peacekeepers – Moscow
Moldovan President Maia Sandu has openly discussed planning a military operation to seize control of the breakaway region of Transnistria, which hosts a Russian peacekeeping contingent, Moscow’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has claimed. Chisinau has denied the accusation.
According to the agency, Sandu became “emotionally unstable” at a recent meeting with government officials over Ukraine's decision to cut the flow of Russian gas to Moldova, triggering fears of an energy crisis in the EU candidate state.
Kiev has refused to reopen talks with Moscow on any future transit. Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico recently met with Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky to discuss the matter but was unable to salvage the arrangement. The news met with reported exasperation in Moldova, which is heavily reliant on Russian gas.
In a statement on Monday, the SVR claimed that Sandu’s government is preparing to escalate tensions in the region, potentially targeting the Cuciurgan power plant, which supplies around 75% of Moldova’s electricity. According to the agency, Sandu has discussed removing Russian peacekeepers and reasserting Chisinau’s control.
EU officials were allegedly “clutching their heads” and “do not know how to calm down the emotionally unstable Sandu,” according to the agency.
Sandu “categorically refused to discuss this issue with Ukraine and unequivocally pinned the blame on Russia,” threatening to “take it out on Transnistria” if Moscow fails to deliver gas to Moldova. She reportedly ordered criminal cases against the breakaway region’s leaders for “separatism” and instructed officials to harass residents crossing the border.
The SVR claimed the EU is deeply alarmed by Sandu’s alleged plans. “The meeting ended with Sandu discussing the need for a military operation to seize control over Transnistria and remove Russian peacekeepers,” leaving EU officials visibly shocked, the SVR alleged.
Adrian Balutel, Sandu’s chief of staff, dismissed the SVR statement as “dangerous disinformation, designed to sow panic and mistrust.” He stressed that “Chisinau remains firmly committed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict” while demanding a “complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops” from Transnistria.
Transnistria declared independence from Moldova in the early 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union. A brief war in 1992 ended with a ceasefire and the deployment of around 400 Russian peacekeepers. Moldova does not recognize Transnistria's independence and has periodically sought to reintegrate the territory.
Sandu, who won Moldova’s presidency in 2024 after a contentious election, has previously faced criticism from Moscow, which accused her government of obstructing the voting rights of citizens of the country who live in Russia.
