A senior Russian official has raised concerns about the situation in Moldova using rhetoric similar to that employed prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to reporting by Reuters.
Sergei Shoigu stated in a recent interview that Russian citizens living in Transnistria are facing potential threats to their safety. He blamed both Ukraine and Moldova for what he described as “irresponsible actions.”
“More than 220,000 Russian citizens live in Transnistria. Their interests and security are now under threat due to reckless actions by Kyiv and Chișinău,” Shoigu said in an interview with the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda.
He added that Russia is prepared to take all necessary measures to protect its citizens in the region, emphasizing that no options are being ruled out.
“If necessary, Russia will take all required steps and use all available means to protect them in accordance with its constitution. Nothing should be excluded, and we are considering all possible scenarios, even the least likely ones,” he said.
The remarks come amid ongoing tensions in Eastern Europe and have drawn attention due to similarities with the justifications Moscow previously used regarding Ukraine, particularly claims about protecting Russian nationals abroad.
