"Provoke instability": Russia tries to sow discord in Moldova again - isw

Experts emphasized that on November 30, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed threats against Moldova, warning about possible consequences similar to events in Ukraine. Lavrov stated that the West allegedly seeks to use Moldova in the so -called "hybrid war" against Russia. "Lavrov's threat may have given the courage to some pro -Russian players to try to sow political instability and split in Moldova," the ISW report reads.

Experts added that after the statements of Lavrov, the head of Gagauzia, who reveals a pro -Russian position, Eugene Hutsul accused Moldovagaz of obstructing the supply of gas from the Turkish supplier. The cooperation with this supplier was approved by the regional government outside the state contracts. The pro -Russian official claims that Moldovagaz sells gas at a higher price than the Turkish supplier.

At the same time, the head of Moldovagaz Vadim Cheban stated that the company has no physical or legal ability to block gas supply to Gagauzia. The company did not receive the necessary documentation for switching suppliers. ISW also reminds that Moldova President Maya Sandu rejected the Hutsul's request to receive a place in the Cabinet of Ministers on November 13, since it is a member of the forbidden pro -Russian Party.

This political force of the Russian Federation was used to loosen the situation in Moldova until the Constitutional Court forbade it. "Russia has conducted a likely campaign for the destabilization of Moldova in early 2023, and Russia can try to restore these efforts to distract the international community from war in Ukraine," analysts say. We will remind, on September 20, Maya Sandu told when Moldova resolved a conflict with Transnistria.