Defense minister says Moldova must be ready to counter 'hybrid war'
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 19 March 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Defense minister says Moldova must be ready to counter 'hybrid war', 19 March 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/552f9d845c.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
March 19, 2015
By RFE/RL's Moldovan Service
Moldova's defense Minister has said that his country must be prepared to deal with the threats posed by "hybrid" warfare, a reference to tactics Russia is widely accused of employing in Ukraine.
Defense Minister Viorel Cibotaru told RFE/RL's Moldovan Service that "we must learn to live with this threat."
Cibotaru said that measures implemented recently have improved the preparedness of Moldova's military, which will continue to increase its defense capability within a NATO-supported program.
However, he said that to cover the army's needs, Moldova's defense budget would have to be about four times higher than the $21.5 million earmarked for this year.
Moldova is a member of NATO's Defense Capacity Building Initiative (DCBI), which was launched at an alliance summit in September.
DCBI aims to help NATO project stability without the deployment of large combat forces.
Russia has said Moldova's drive for closer European integration could cause it to lose control of its breakaway pro-Russian region of Transdniester, where Russia maintains about 1,200 troops in Transdniester.
Russia used troops in unmarked uniforms to take over Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014, and has denied accusations from Kyiv and NATO that it has sent troops and weapons into eastern Ukraine to help pro-Russian separatists ight government forces.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
