“We are under constant attack”

Chisinau The Republic of Moldova borders directly on Ukraine, and Russian missiles are repeatedly penetrating the country’s airspace. In an interview with the Handelsblatt, the country’s foreign minister, Nicu Popescu, called on his western partners to provide equipment for monitoring and defending the airspace. Over the past year, the security environment has “deteriorated dramatically.”

According to Popescu, there is currently no “imminent military threat” to Moldova from Russia. Nevertheless, the country is “exposed to constant attacks,” Popescu said. Various secret services had recently warned of concrete plans for a coup by Russia in the country.

Moldova is under massive pressure from targeted disinformation campaigns and anti-government protests, some of which are organized by pro-Russian politician Ilan Shor, who fled to Israel. Shor is accused of being involved in the theft of more than $700 million from the banking system, he is currently said to be in Israel, and he regularly addresses the Moldovan population in video messages.