On Thursday, the Parliament of Moldova passed a declaration denouncing the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has increased tensions between Moscow and Chisinau, Reuters reports.
The declaration received 55 votes from the 101-seat assembly, stating that the invasion by Moscow began with the annexation of the Crimea peninsula in February 2014. The declaration further demanded the immediate withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine.
According to the declaration, Russia is conducting an unjustified, illegal, and baseless war of aggression in Ukraine that disregards the principles of international law.
The statement also echoes Kyiv’s demand for an international tribunal to hold war criminals accountable. As the war continues, tensions have escalated between Russia and Moldova, which shares a border with Ukraine.
The pro-Western government of Chisinau has accused Moscow of attempting to overthrow it and has lodged a protest with Russia over the alleged entry of Russian missiles aimed at Ukraine into Moldovan airspace, as well as the reported landing of missile debris within Moldova.
The allegation has been refuted by Russia, which has in turn accused Ukraine and other nations of exacerbating instability in the Transdniestria region of Moldova, where approximately 1,500 Russian troops are stationed. Both Chisinau and Kyiv have rejected this accusation.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, a fresh anti-government rally took place in Moldova’s capital, raising concerns about potential further unrest. Thousands of protestors participated in the rally, demanding that the new pro-Western administration fully cover citizens’ winter energy bills and refrain from engaging the country in any war, AP News reports.
The leader of the Shor Party, an exiled oligarch from Moldova named Ilan Shor, accused the police of attempting to disrupt the peaceful rally.
“Fighting one’s own people is the last refuge of tyrants and the beginning of their downfall,” said Shor, as cited by Euronews.
