Operation under "someone else's flag": the Russian Federation can block the grain corridor using Transnistria

The Russian authorities can conduct operations under someone else's flag in Transnistria to emphasize the need to protect ethnic Russians and Russian -speaking, thereby creating instability in Moldova and undermining Ukrainian exports of grain along the western Black Sea coast. This is stated in the report of the Institute of War Study (ISW).

According to the source, on Wednesday, January 10, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia declared the call of Ambassador of Moldova to protest in connection with "unfriendly actions" by the country. The reasons include the "politically motivated persecution of the Russian and Russian media" and "cases of discrimination against Russian citizens crossing the border of Moldova.

" The Russian Foreign Ministry expressed a threatening position, stating that in the event of such actions, "the Russian side reserves the right to take additional measures in response. " The report also stressed that the Russian department has declared the emergence of information in the media about Moldova's intentions to assist NATO in the preparation of Ukrainian military in its territory.

According to Russia, such actions of Moldova will be considered as "direct participation" in hostilities on the side of Ukraine. In this context, it is emphasized that Russia has previously resorted to similar arguments, for example, in justifying its military intervention in support of the separatist Transnistria in 1992.

The ISW report emphasizes that the Kremlin was likely to attempt to create information prerequisites for a possible operation under someone else's flag in Transnistria in April 2022 and February 2023, but these efforts were partially failed due to economic reasons. Experts say that the Kremlin may consider surgery under someone else's flag in Transnistria as an alternative method of keeping countries from participating in the Ukrainian grain corridor.