The President of the Russian Federation revives a dangerous narrative about the “war for the historical territory of the Russian Federation”. Several Asian countries were either part of the Soviet Union or the Russian Empire.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is reviving the imperialist “war for historical borders” narrative. A February 22 report by analysts at the American Institute for War Studies (ISW) noted that such statements were made even before an all-out war in Ukraine began.
“There is now a war for Russia’s historical borders and for the Russian people,” Putin said in a four-minute speech at a rally concert in Luzhniki. And in a message to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on February 21, he called the territories adjacent to Russia “historic lands”.
“Putin did not make any other important statements about the course of the war and did not discuss specific tasks at the front,” institute experts said.
Putin threatened Moldova and Central Asia
Experts said that Putin’s concept of Russia’s “historical borders” could be used to justify aggression against any neighboring, Moldovan and Central Asian country that does not have common borders.
Analysts added that Central Asia in particular includes regions that were formerly in the Soviet Union or the Russian Empire.
Experts point out that Putin’s speech came after the abolition of recognition of Moldova’s territorial integrity. The President of the Russian Federation canceled the 2012 decree on the foreign policy of Russia. He says Moscow will actively work to resolve the Transnistria conflict on the basis of respect for Moldova’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and neutral status.
In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Moldova began to withdraw from dozens of agreements within the CIS. Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu described these agreements as irrelevant or contrary to Moldova’s interests.
“Moldova will join the European Union, has completely different foreign policy objectives. It is clear that exiting the CIS or terminating these agreements that are incompatible with our obligations will continue,” Popescu said.
According to ISW experts, the abolition of the 2012 decree does not mean a forced attack by the Russian Federation on Moldova. Putin has no military potential for this, but we should expect increased efforts to destabilize the situation in the country.
Recall that on February 20, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky promised to help Moldova in case the Russian army attacked. And on February 9, Zelensky warned Moldovan President Maia Sandu of Russian plans to attack the country.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on February 2 that the West is allegedly preparing Moldova for the “second Ukraine” role. On December 30, Sandu spoke about the impossibility of relations with Russia after his attack on Ukraine.
Source: Focus
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