EXPLAINED: Why Russia Is Claiming Ukraine Is Preparing its Own Invasion

On the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin is going to great lengths to maintain its flawless record of absolutely bonkers and baseless claims.

What have they said now?

According to the defense ministry, Ukraine is preparing an unprovoked and illegal invasion of a neighboring country, despite it being a bit busy trying to fight off Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion.

“The Kyiv regime has stepped up preparations for the invasion of the Transnistrian Moldavian Republic,” the statement said.

The defense ministry claimed the “invasion” would be launched “in response to an alleged offensive by Russian troops from the territory of Transnistria.”

The Russian defense ministry claimed that Ukrainian troops were massing at the border with Moldova’s breakaway region.

“The implementation of the planned provocation by the Ukrainian authorities poses a direct threat to the Russian peacekeeping contingent legally deployed in Transnistria.”

How has Russia said it would respond to this supposed threat?

“Russia’s armed forces will respond to the impending provocation of the Ukrainian side in an adequate manner,” the Kremlin said.

Remind me, what’s the deal with Transnistria?

Transnistria is a narrow region bordering Ukraine, which separated from Moldova after a short war in 1992.

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Moscow Recruits Yemeni Mercenaries for War in Ukraine, Report Says

The number of mercenaries is in the hundreds, though many of them claimed they were duped into fighting after being lured by high salaries.

Russian soldiers have been deployed there since. Moldova, a poor country of 2.6 million people with a sizeable Russian minority, has taken a pro-Western turn in recent years, angering Moscow.

Is there any truth in Russia’s latest claim?

Not according to the government of Moldova, which said on Thursday that “state authorities do not confirm the information released this morning by the Russian Ministry of Defense.”

It added: “Our institutions cooperate with foreign partners and in the case of threats to the country, the public will be promptly informed.”

Since the launch of the full-scale assault against Ukraine a year ago, the Kremlin has repeatedly been accused of raising tensions in Transnistria to destabilize Ukraine and Moldova.

Earlier this month, Moldovan President Maia Sandu accused Russia of plotting to violently overthrow her government through saboteurs disguised as anti-government protesters, claims that Russia denied.