Russian Intelligence Claims NATO Militarizes Moldova Ahead Conflict

Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused NATO, led by the US, of militarizing Moldova to prepare for a potential conflict with Russia, alleging that the alliance is modernizing Moldovan infrastructure including railways, airfields, and logistics hubs to facilitate rapid deployment of forces. The SVR warned that Moldovan citizens could become "cannon fodder" in any NATO-Russia clash and accused Moldovan President Maia Sandu of sacrificing national interests to Western powers and supporting her pro-European party to maintain power. Moldova's Prime Minister Dorin Recean and President Sandu have countered these claims, accusing Russia of attempting to destabilize Moldova through troop buildups in the breakaway Transnistria region, election interference, and hybrid warfare tactics. NATO's defense pact with Moldova aims to strengthen the country's resilience against external threats, reflecting concerns about Russian aggression in the region. The SVR also threatened that Moldova's potential NATO alignment could end its constitutional neutrality and likened the situation to Ukraine's conflict, with Russian officials vowing to protect Russian citizens in Transnistria. These developments underscore Moldova's geopolitical tug-of-war between Western integration and Russian influence amid the broader tensions surrounding Ukraine and Eastern Europe.