Moscow’s new Nazi comparisons
ISW fears Russian aggression throughout Moldova
May 10, 2024, 11:52 a.m
Listen to article
This audio version was artificially generated. More info | Send feedback
Moscow is increasing its rhetoric towards Moldova. The Foreign Ministry speaks of “genocide” and draws comparisons with the Nazis – similar arguments serve as justification for the war against Ukraine. The US think tank ISW suspects that Kremlin leader Putin has far-reaching plans.
Comments by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova about an alleged “Nazi-like genocide” in Moldova are seen by experts as a remarkable turn in Moscow’s official rhetoric. This is “probably intended to serve this purpose,” according to the analysts at the US think tank “Institute for the Study of War” (ISW), “to create conditions for a Russian push to secure control of Moldova and not just some of its regions.”
On the occasion of “Victory Day” over Nazi Germany, Sakharova gave the Russian state news agency TASS a detailed report interview In this she not only attacked Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj, who allegedly “betrayed” his grandfather and his own people. The top Russian official also commented on Moldova. She drew comparisons to National Socialism and accused the democratically elected government under President Maia Sandu of using similar methods to the Nazis.
According to Zakharova, the “most offensive thing” is that the victims of such Nazi ideology are usually people who have never committed themselves to aggressive politics. “This is especially true for Moldovans – open, hardworking, kind people who became victims, who became a testing ground for unworthy people, people who are corrupt, people who do not even hide that they do it on behalf and for one a lot of money from abroad.”
Zakharova further said that the government of Moldova wanted to replace its own language with Romanian, insinuating: “In one second, with a stroke of the Sandu government’s pen, the Moldovan language has turned into Romanian. And what is this other than elements of a genocide of a whole People?” This is “comparable to the politics of the Third Reich” or the colonial rulers in Africa. The Russian, loyal to the Kremlin, also spoke of a “black mark” that Sandu would leave behind in the country’s history after her term in office ended.
ISW: Moscow is expecting a new government
The experts at the US think tank see this statement as an indication that Moscow is expecting a new government in Moldova that will be in contrast to the current Western-oriented government. Russia also sees Nazis at work in Ukraine – which is one of the reasons for the war.
According to the ISW, Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin has recently stopped spreading the narrative about Russian citizens who are allegedly discriminated against abroad and need to be protected by Moscow. Rather, according to Putin, Russia is in an “existential geopolitical conflict with an alleged modern Nazi movement.” The ISW had previously analyzed that citizens in Russia might not be able to identify with the narrative of “Russian compatriots abroad”. Focusing on the alleged fight against “Western neo-Nazism” could give Putin broader support among his own population for acts of war like those in Ukraine, say experts. In addition, Moscow could try to justify Russian aggression throughout Moldova – similar to what happened in Ukraine.
Large Russian-speaking populations live in Moldova’s two pro-Russian regions, the autonomous region of Gagauzia and the breakaway republic of Transnistria. As the ISW reports, the leaders of the pro-Kremlin opposition voting bloc “Moldovan Victory” also took part in the victory parade in Moscow. The analysts see this as further evidence that the Kremlin intends to use these actors to destabilize all of Moldova and endanger the country’s democracy and the EU accession process.
Transnistria borders Ukraine to the east and has around 375,000 inhabitants. The province and its government are recognized only by Russia. The other states see it as part of the Republic of Moldova. Transnistria has its own paramilitary units, but over 1,000 Russian soldiers are also stationed there. Last February, the separatists asked Russia for protection from the government in Chisinau.