At the 1997 NATO Summit in Madrid, the Alliance kicked off its eastward enlargement process by integrating ex-communist countries that used this opportunity to make sure they would never again fall under Russia’s control. A quarter of a century later, also in Madrid, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization launched a new strategic concept, taking note of Moscow’s aggressions and threats.
Every day, Russian citizens learn from news segments about the victories reported by the Russian army on the Ukrainian front. Even when troops are retreating or conquering a few small villages despite sustaining heavy losses, the Ministry of Defense spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, invokes resounding achievements. A PROEKT.MEDIA investigation reveals that many such achievements are in fact mathematical and geographical falsehoods.
The international community will have to declare the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a war criminal, according to a false narrative circulated by the Russian state media. In reality, the war crimes blamed on the Ukrainian president are either made up or were committed by Russian soldiers on Ukrainian territory.
The Republic of Moldova will enter a profound crisis if it joins the European Union and anti-Russian sanctions, the Russian official news agency and the Moldovan fugitive oligarch, Ilan Shor, claim. The issue of anti-Russian sanctions exploited by Russian propaganda and Russia’s agents of influence is one of the recurrent threats Kremlin uses to pressure Chișinău.
Ukraine has tried to forcibly deport the inhabitants of the Luhansk region, and Russian-speakers in Lysychansk protested before the Ukrainian army, according to a new false narrative carried by the Russian media. The narrative was published against the background of Russia being accused of deporting Ukrainians and forcing millions of people to flee, while advancing its troops and bombing of civilian targets.
Vladimir Soloviov is a Russian journalist based in the Republic of Moldova. He writes for Kommersant. Veridica spoke with Mr. Soloviov in Chisinau about the political developments in the Republic of Moldova, Russia’s imperial claims and the war in Ukraine, but also about the almost non-existent relationship between Russia and Romania.
More than 4 months after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the so-called “battle fatigue” is starting to show signs both in Ukraine and in the western world. It’s become rather obvious in politicians’ speeches, in the wear and tear of the military and civilians, in the way war is reflected in the international press and in the public's interest in war-related topics.
Last week’s announcement that the Republic of Moldova had received the status of EU candidate country is going to be a game changer for Chisinau, but it will also bring new challenges.
The EU will deport to Ukraine refugee men so they can be enrolled in the Ukrainian army, the Kremlin-affiliated media writes. In fact, deporting refugees to their country of origin is forbidden under international law, which means Ukrainian citizens who fled the war and came to the EU cannot be sent back.
Respected and hated. Saw a lot of flowers, but was also cursed and even blown up. That’s the fate of the Monument of Victory in Riga which is, probably, going to be demolished as a consequence of Russia’s large scale invasion of Ukraine. Hundreds of other Soviet era monuments may soon follow
The Russian independent media writes about volunteers with no military training whom Moscow sends to die in Ukraine, as well as about the role of mercenary groups fighting for the Russians. The Kremlin is mindful not just about battlefront developments, but also about the way it is selling the war to the next generation of young Russians: the new school curricula includes the new Putinist ideology and the official rhetoric about the war in Donbas.
The nationalist leader Stepan Bandera has been canonized, according to the Russian press, which is disseminating this propaganda narrative to prove that Ukrainian society is a Nazi one and must be further denazified by the Russian army. In reality, Bandera has not been canonized and there is no initiative in this regard.
The chess rivalry between Russia and Ukraine existed before the invasion of February 2022. It also existed before the first invasion of Russia in February 2014. It existed, one might say, before the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991. But it has never been harsher than this year. The world of chess has once again become, as it was during the Cold War, a battleground for image, influence and power.
Volodymyr Zelensky pays for Western weapons with Ukrainian museum exhibits, according to a new false narrative promoted by the Russian press and pro-Kremlin Telegram channels. In reality, museum exhibits have been evacuated from the east and south of the country to the western regions or taken from exhibition halls to shelters so as not to be destroyed by Russian bombing.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine brought the world closer to a nuclear disaster, as Russian troops occupied Ukrainian nuclear power plants – sometimes by fighting their way in and shooting at the plants – and Russian missiles flew dangerously low above them. Yet, the International Atomic Energy Agency had a rather moderate response to these risks and it continued to work closely with the Russians, much to the dismay of the Ukrainians.
Ukrainians from Zaporozhye are volunteering to join a battalion to defend the region from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to Russian media. In reality, Russia is forcibly mobilizing Ukrainian civilians from the occupied localities in this region, in violation of international conventions, and the city of Zaporozhye is still under the control of the Ukrainian army.
The war in Ukraine has brought to the fore the poor state of the Moldovan army, which remains underequipped after being neglected by the authorities in the last three decades. Yet the commonplace view in Chișinău right now is that the army should at least fend off an aggression coming from Transnistria. Russia and its mouthpieces, on the other hand, continue to absurdly claim that Moldova modernizing its army would be tantamount to breaching its neutrality.
According to Russian media, the Ukrainians are being forced to withdraw from Donbas following Moscow's “special operation” and are massacring Russian-speakers while fleeing. In reality, Ukrainian forces continue to resist, and Ukrainian leaders say they will fight for every town in Donbas to defend the local population, including Russian-speakers, from the Russian invaders.
The Russian media writes that NATO’s Secretary General has recommended Kyiv to concede a number of territories to Russia in the name of peace. In fact, Stoltenberg hailed Ukraine’s resistance and condemned Russia.
The West is preparing an attack on Transnistria to push the Republic of Moldova into an armed conflict against Russia, according to a false narrative published by ehomd.info. The narrative is part of a genuine campaign on this issue, behind which are both the pro-Kremlin press and left-wing politicians in Chisinau.
The Visegrad Group (V4) acted, for years, in concert to give the populist leaders of Central European countries some levarage against the other EU countries. The war in Ukraine caused a rift within the V4, as Hungary prefered to preserve as much as possible its relationship with Russia, much to the dismay of its partners.
For Europe to evade the Russian threat, Russia needs to slip into a period of instability once Putin is gone, says Vladimir Socor. In an interview to Veridica, Vladimir Socor says the early signs of post-Soviet expansionism became transparent in the 1990s, also referring to Ukraine’s chances in the current war.
The Chinese delegation left the room during a speech by Zelensky, in protest of Ukraine's actions and to show support for Moscow’s “special operation”, writes the Russian press. In reality, the Chinese delegation listened carefully to the Ukrainian leader's speech and did not leave the conference room.
Moldova is undergoing an economic crisis, and the Government and the West is providing it with weapons for the war in Ukraine, while at the same time preparing the unification with Romania. The narratives were launched by former president, Igor Dodon, and were amplified by the pro-Socialist and Russian media.
The Transnistrian is not an obstacle to the EU integration of Chișinău, says the ambassador the Republic of Moldova in Romania, Victor Chirilă. In an interview to Veridica, the Moldovan diplomat said that, should Ukraine win the war against Russia, Tiraspol leaders will become “more flexible”. Victor Chirilă analyzed the security risks for Chișinău, as well as the main projects carried out by the Republic of Moldova jointly with Romania.
The United States are responsible for triggering the war in Ukraine, and continue to fuel this conflict for its own economic benefit, but also with a view to turning Europe and some countries in Asia into its economic satellites, according to a false narrative published in Bucharest. The disinformation reiterates Moscow’s propaganda themes that try to justify Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, holding the West accountable for this conflict.
The appointment of the new head of the Intelligence and Security Service of the Republic of Moldova (SIS), Alexandru Musteață, on June 2, is a genuine test for the government in Chișinău, an opportunity to prove its commitment to implement reforms in the field of defense and national security.
The pro-Kremlin media accuses the Red Cross of being engaged in organ trafficking activities involving children in Donbas. This false narrative is designed to discredit this international organization, which has so far been denied access to Russian-held territories, where it was planning to get involved in the evacuation of civilians and providing medical care to the population.
FBI agents and officers of German intelligence are plotting to involve the Republic of Moldova into a military operation against Russia, according to a controversial Russian journalist. His statement was shared by media outlets such as politnavigator and tsargrad, and have been dismissed by Chișinău authorities.
Russian Telegram accounts have this month picked up on a narrative launched in early May, regarding public support for Poland’s prospective invasion of Ukraine. The narrative was based on a survey that didn’t even tackle this topic.
The war in Ukraine was launched by Russia under the pretext of de-nazifying the neighboring country. From Moscow's point of view, it should have been a quick operation ending with a regime change in Kyiv. For the Ukrainians, on the other hand, the priority in the early days was survival. Developments on the ground - and the success of the Ukrainian defense - have led to the adjustment of these objectives, which can be seen in the narratives of the two camps.
The Republic of Moldova will be controlled by armed policemen from other countries, according to media outlets affiliated to the Socialist Party. In fact, several dozen experts will be charged with supporting Moldovan border policemen in overseeing border crossing procedures and managing the flow of refugees.