MOLDOVA AND UKRAINE TRYING TO AGGRAVATE SITUATION IN TRANSNISTRIA ON ORDERS FROM THE WEST – RUSSIAN EXPERT

Dr. Konstantin Sokolov, a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, is convinced that Moldova and Ukraine are trying to aggravate situation in Transnistria not on their own initiative but by orders they receive from the West.

The Moscow expert said in an interview to Deutsche Welle that tension in Transnistria is growing in parallel with aggravation of relations between Russia and NATO.

“Presently, our relationship with the North Atlantic Alliance is getting sharper, so the situation will apparently be aggravating. Transnistria may well become a point of a real strain. That region has been in fact in a blockade, with Moldovan border guards deployed on the Ukrainian side of the border with Transnistria. If the situation there comes to an explosion, volunteers from both Ukraine and Russia will start moving there, and the situation will quickly develop into a new hot spot”, said Sokolov.

In the expert’s opinion, presently the West is preparing a series of major international provocations against Russia, “and against such an adverse background, hopes for a lighter future in our relations with NATO are melting”.

Sokolov reminded that Moscow has outlined a possibility of improving relations with NATO next year or two, and has spoken out for returning to dialog within the framework of the Russia-NATO Council.

“The Russian side’s statement bears the character of a prerequisite, i.e. we stand ready for interaction. It is hard to say what the West will answer to our proposal because it has set a steady course for confrontation with Russia”, said the expert.