Chisinau Pressures Tiraspol, 34 Years Since the Transnistrian War and Other Updates

Like most of the world, Moldovans this week have been focused on the unfolding war in Iran and its regional spillover. Minister of Foriegn Affairs Mihai Popșoi called for restraint and condemned Iran’s attacks against its neighbors. Many Moldovans live and work in the UAE and other parts of the region and over 100 have requested help evacuating, though none have been injured or killed to date. While the world watches Iran, we had an eventful week in Moldova so here’s our roundup.

34 Years Since the Transnistrian War

On March 2nd Moldova marks the Day of Memory and Gratitude commemorating those who died in the Transnistrian war. It’s not definitively known how many people died in the 4 months of war from March to July 1992, but estimates suggest 300 combatants and 400 civilians from the right bank1, and around 800 total from the left bank.

On the occasion President Sandu, Prime Minister Munteanu and Speaker of Parliament Grosu laid flowers at the statue of Stefan Cel Mare and then participated in the March of Remembrance through central Chisinau to the war memorial. There, they laid flowers at the statue “Mourning Mother” and President Sandu spoke to honor the sacrifice of the fallen and all veterans saying “The commemoration of the heroes of the war on the Dniester reminds us that freedom is not a given. It must be protected.”

She spoke of Moldova’s struggle for freedom and for the right of people to speak their own language and have their own traditions. Then, the President connected the events of 34 years ago with the present saying:

“We need to call things by their proper names.

In war, the aggressor is the one who attacks.

In 1992, the aggressor was Russia.

Today, in Ukraine, the aggressor is Russia.

To say that “both sides are guilty” is to falsify the truth. Moral neutrality in the face of aggression is not only cowardice, but also a lie. And solidarity between peoples who have experienced aggression is a duty.

The Republic of Moldova did not covet foreign territories. It did not start wars. It only defended its ancestral land.

And even today, the aggression against our country has not disappeared. Only the methods have changed.

If in 1992 aggression came with tanks, today it comes through propaganda, manipulation and disinformation. We are living a true cognitive war —

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