Russian Official Warns of Threats to Russians in Moldova's Transdniestria
Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Russia's Security Council, has expressed concerns over the safety of Russian citizens in Moldova's breakaway region of Transdniestria. This region, which declared independence from Moldova before the collapse of the Soviet Union, has been a point of contention since a brief war in 1992. Shoigu accused Moldova of escalating tensions by barring entry to Russian peacekeepers and extending customs duties to the region. He emphasized that Russia is prepared to take necessary measures to protect its citizens, who number over 220,000 in Transdniestria. The Moldovan government, led by President Maia Sandu, aims to join the European Union by 2030, a process it believes can proceed without resolving the Transdniestria issue. 
