Tiraspol, 26 August. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Instigating the subject of alleged threat posed by Pridnestrovie and Russia's military contingent, Kiev and Kishinev are trying to enlist the additional support of the West and, first of all, of the United States, Russian expert Vasily Kashirin said in an interview with Novosti Pridnestrovya.
According to Kashirin, they are forming argumentation justifying the long-implemented and coordinated policy of economic and transport blockade of Pridnestrovie aimed at dismantling Russia's presence and influence in the region.
Ukrainian media outlets have recently reported that Ukraine's intelligence had assessed military threat on the part of Pridnestrovie. Spokesperson for Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defence Ministry Vadim Sabitsky noted that an assault could be launched from the Pridnestrovian territory provided a considerable strengthening of the Russian contingent with the auxiliary role of the PMR in destabilising Ukraine.
«There is no need to be a military to understand that if the situation requires Russia to provide military assistance to its compatriots in Ukraine, as was the case in the spring of 2014, it will act from the direction of the 'mainland' Ukraine-Russian border, Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics, Crimea and the Black Sea, but in no way from the direction of the PMR. Russia's military contingent in Pridnestrovie is rather small in number for solving active offensive tasks. Its primary mission is to defend the civilian population for a few hours or days until Russia's main forces come to rescue, of course, in case of renewed military conflict. The main source of threat and 'instability' for Ukraine today is its own leadership, not Pridnestrovie," Vasily Kashirin is convinced.
Pridnestrovie has already got used to the status of 'threatening republic'. In recent weeks Moldovan and Ukrainian political elites have shown pained reaction to the past military exercises jointly conducted by the Russian and Pridnestrovian military in Pridnestrovie.
This reaction of Moldova and Ukraine is deemed quite comprehensible and natural, says Vasily Kashirin.
«Authorities in Kiev and Kishinev watch with concern a remarkable decline in interest to them on the part of Euro-Atlantic bodies. A number of European countries are showing a growing tendency to normalise relations with Russian and abolish mutual sanctions. The subject of reviewing the fundamentals of US foreign policy tops the country's agenda ahead of presidential elections. With election results still unknown, the outgoing administration is unlikely to take any decisive steps. Western sponsor states and international monetary organisations are reluctant to grant financial assistance to the flagging economies of Ukraine and Moldova, which have not known yet the advantages of the notorious association and 'deep and comprehensive free trade area with the EU'," says the Russian expert.
According to Vasily Kashirin, the acting OSCE chairman, Germany, is making noticeable efforts to defrost the negotiation process and actually backs the principle of equality of parties in negotiations, which is nearly regarded in Kishinev as Germany's «betrayal» and its transition to the camp of Russia and Pridnestrovie.
«The destiny of pro-Western governments in Moldova and Ukraine seems doubtful and its future vague. There is an increased possibility of power and foreign policy shift in these countries. Besides, while in Moldova the power is likely to change through democratic elections, in Ukraine a more radical scenario is possible, including a coup and/or the renewal of hostilities in the east. The governments of both countries are feeling the community of their unenviable destinies and trying to coordinate their actions against 'Russian threat', as well as enhancing their reputation in the eyes of their western patron states," concluded the expert.
