Ukraine and Moldova could have swiftly resolved Transnistria issue in 2022, expert says

This was stated by political analyst and serviceman Kyrylo Sazonov, as reported by RBC-Ukraine.

Sazonov said that the Russian contingent in the region is small, and the weapons depots could have been neutralized without large-scale military operations.

"Together with Moldova, we could have easily addressed this issue—through a blockade or an anti-terrorist operation. Putin would not have been able to break through via Ukraine," the analyst emphasized.

He added that official Chișinău failed to seize this opportunity at the time. "I don’t understand why Moldova’s President Maia Sandu didn’t act in 2022. Perhaps it’s due to the benefits from smuggling routes through Transnistria and access to free gas," Sazonov suggested.

At the same time, he notes that Ukraine is now compelled to maintain significant forces along the border with Moldova to counter the potential threat posed by the unrecognized entity. "We are essentially shielding an ally that continues to host a Russian base and military contingent," he concluded.