Fears of a possible Russian aggression are spreading in Moldova, an Eastern European country located between Ukraine and Romania.



The New York Times reported that after Russia's invasion of Ukraine yesterday (7th) local time, the people of Moldova, a neighboring country, are suffering from anxiety that they could become the next target of President Vladimir Putin.



The reason the Moldovan people are anxious is that the domestic situation is similar to that of Ukraine.



In Moldova, which was part of the former Soviet Union, there are pro-Russian separatists like Ukraine.



In Moldova's general election last year, pro-Russian political forces won the support of a third of the electorate.



In particular, separatist forces on the eastern border of Moldova declared independence under the name of 'Transnistria' in 1992.



Although they are not recognized as a nation by the international community including the United Nations, the Russian government supports them.



There is also a Russian army of 1,500 men stationed there.



A situation similar to that of President Putin, who approved the independence of pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region prior to the invasion of Ukraine, could happen.




In fact, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, who supports Russia's invasion of Ukraine, has sparked controversy at a recent security meeting by revealing a map with arrows that look like plans to invade Moldova.



Since then, the Belarusian ambassador to Moldova apologized, saying that the map was a mistake, but the fear of the Moldovan people has not subsided.



A senior official of the Moldova government also disclosed to the New York Times on the condition of anonymity that they were discussing countermeasures against the possibility that Russia might occupy Moldova.



It is explained that Moldova's application to join the European Union last week also took into account the possibility of Russian aggression.



The United States is also aware of the insecurity in Moldova.



"The United States supports the principle that Moldova's territories must be completely preserved," Secretary of State Tony Blincoln said during a joint press conference with Moldova's President Maia Sando the same day, local time.