Poltorak: Russian troops in Transnistria threaten both Ukraine and Moldova

Russian military groupings located on the territory of Transnistria and generally in the south-west direction pose a threat both for Ukraine and Moldova.

Defense Minister of Ukraine Stepan Poltorak said this during a meeting with Defense Minister of the Republic of Moldova Eugen Sturza in Odesa, the Ministry’s press service reports.

"The Defense Minister of Ukraine noted that the Russian Federation continued its hybrid aggression in Donbas, built up the strike military potential in Crimea, destabilized the Black Sea-Azov region. Difficult situation is also observed in Transnistria. The groupings located on the territory of Transnistria and generally in the south-west direction pose a threat both for Ukraine and Moldova," the statement reads.

During the meeting, the defense ministers agreed on priorities for further cooperation, namely carrying out joint exercises both on a bilateral basis and within the framework of cooperation with NATO and individual allies, developing cooperation at the level of headquarters of the armed forces of the two states, boosting military and technical cooperation and improving the dynamics of partnership between higher military educational institutions.

The parties also discussed the issues related to the exchange of experience in countering the hybrid threats and further cooperation in reforming the armed forces of the two countries.

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