Vladimir Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready to help Moldova if Russia tries to use its so-called peacekeepers in Transnistria to foment aggression. And Chisinau declares that the Russian troops must leave the region, it must be demilitarized and integrated into Moldova. Russian-American historian Yuri Felshtinsky gave his answers in an interview with Unian.

"The reality is that sooner or later, Russia will start hostilities in Moldova, despite the unfinished war in Ukraine and even though they cannot break through the land corridors. However, they tried to do it from the south through Odessa.

Putin has not revised any of his goals and plans this year. Before the Russian army, as was the task of capturing Moldova, so it is. But, without breaking through the land corridor, the military operation in Moldova is extremely problematic and risky. Russian troops in Transnistria cannot independently conduct military operations, even against the Moldovan army.

I guarantee that Russian troops will leave Transnistria due to this war. After all the problems Russia gave the world in 2014, especially in 2022, no one will have any thoughts of leaving them there. And yes, Transnistria will undoubtedly become a regular part of Moldova.

Now Transnistria is a territory frozen in 1991 in the Soviet Union. There are red flags, hammers, and sickles, monuments to Lenin… This is one of the reasons why Putin has a great desire to get there. Its general, ideological task is to drive the Russian Federation back into the Soviet Union. And he does it through these occupied territories, including the DPR and LPR.

So, Transnistria is a very important point for Putin. But I don't think he got it."