🇲🇩 I read about the tense situation in Moldova at @rybar and caught myself thinking that the Scandinavian countries unanimously ignored the protests in the republic.

Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are such a "golden trio", in which Western countries, incl. Sweden, Norway and Denmark have invested more than one million crowns. Judging by the impressive list of NGOs operating in Moldova, there were quite a few people in Europe and the USA who wanted to work in the traditional sphere of Russian interests.

Moldova has recently been a candidate for EU membership. President Maia Sandu is a figure comfortable enough to help hold up a chair that wobbles beneath her. Again in exchange for a partial loss of sovereignty, although globally this will change little: the Sandu government will remain in its seats, and the country will continue to live from tranche to tranche from the EU. Oh yes, maybe they will still refuse Russian gas - this factor, along with the dominance of the Soros, will definitely not contribute to state well-being.

#Moldova

Severyanochka

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#MOLDOVA #RybarResponse

With the esteemed @Rybar covering the critical events currently taking place in #Moldova, @Slavyangrad will provide analysis from different viewpoints, starting with:

So, What is Sandu Doing?

(by Mikhail Tolstykh, with contribution by Gleb Bazov)

Set against the backdrop of weeks-long protests in Chisinau against the sharply rising cost of living and the recent 27% hike to gas prices, it seems Ms. Maia Sandu—the sitting, and pro-western president of Moldova—is role-playing Thatcher on the Dniester.

She sent in the riot police to break the demonstrators’ sit-in by force. She’s asked the Moldovan Parliament to grant law enforcement even more power to crack down on protesters. And, of course, the simplest and most effective excuse for such a responsible (pun intended) government is to blame it all on the big bad Russian bear. With a sleight of hand and a careless word, the protesters become Russian agitators trying to put in place a pro-Russian government. Thatcher would have killed for such a perfect excuse to put down the riffraff, but it was tailor-made for Sandu’s Russophobic regime.

To understand the root of the current situation, let’s take a step back and look at what the economic situation of the tiny country looks like. The CPI inflation hit 34% back in July and it’s expected only to rise. Food prices are up 36.5%, electricity prices have increased by 59%, and the prices of hot water and heating grew by 80-90% year-on-year. Keep in mind that the winter hasn’t even started yet. Combine all of the foregoing with a projected 0% GDP growth for 2022, and you get the picture.

So, it seems to us that the Russian saboteurs are the least of Ms Sandu’s concerns. She and her government are doing a fine job of self-sabotage without any foreign intervention. Ms Sandu simply lacks the qualifications and the talents to govern. No amount of Russophobia and suppression of public protests can address incompetence. And yet, in today’s world of Western-style political popularity contests/beauty pageants, who needs talents and experience? You only need to say the right words, attack the right people, and have the right allies. And when things go south, the bailout is easy. It’s the Russians!

Who was it that said “nothing like a little war to lift the spirits up”? History repeats as a farce, and, on the eve of the Falklands War, Thatcher was staring down the barrel of her own economic debacle, just like her pale Moldovan imitation. Britain's first female prime minister was facing sharp criticism from both her cabinet and the public in response to her domestic policies. Savage government spending cuts, a declining manufacturing industry and high unemployment all pointed to an early exit for the leader. She solved her predicament by starting a “short, victorious war.”

Looking at the bigger picture here, Moldova isn’t an anomaly or a departure from the script. The West has been busy since the start of the conflict in Ukraine lighting fires under Moscow’s feet. Renewed fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan border clashes, threats to Belarus, the ISIL resurgence, and the list goes on.

Some are bargaining chips, while others are simple distractions. But overall, this gives quite a clear idea of the lengths the West would go to to impose its will on Russia. They have no qualms about setting the world on fire to break the Russian will.

This is the kind of existential threat that the Russian nation is facing. Not just the Russian state, the country, or its individual leadership, but Russian nation itself. The hegemony of the West and the illusion of its economic stability is threatened by Russia’s existence as a powerful and independent nation.

Sandu, the larping Thatcher on the Dniester, is just the precursor—the West is ready not just for a “short victorious war,” but for a war to the bitter end in the hopes of salvaging the economic disaster they have wrought on the world. They will stop at nothing to hide incompetence behind military aggression against the Russian nation.

#MOLDOVA #RybarResponse

From one of our favourite commentators, Luis, a response to @Rybar’s thesis.

The Unbearable Corruption of Maia Sandu’s Anti Corruption (by Luis)

In countries like Moldova, it is common that Europeanism is a refuge for politicians without ability, character, and substance. Not only does this allows them to ignore the most pressing issues of a country (as, of course, one day you will all be able to just move to Germany), but obvious crooks and tyrants are then relativized and protected by the "international community"

Before Maia Sandu, Europe's friendly bandit in Moldova was Vladimir Plahotniuc. He was dumped not when his problems with corruption and persecution of opponents became too clear to ignore, but rather when his unpopularity became unsustainable. Maia Sandu's "anti corruption" party was disguised as opposition, but picked up where exactly he left off, allowing failed Europeanism to have a "fresh start" with same minor neoliberal parties as allies.

The question is not why Moldova is not under a state of popular revolt: the question is how, and for how long, a government that surpassed Plahotniuc in every aspect can survive. The hardship and discontent is worse than it has ever been. Sandu is deeply unpopular, and polls point to about two thirds of the country wanting the government to collapse. This time though, it will be harder for western masters to pull the same trick again, launching yet another "anti corruption movement" (this time for real, I promise). The nature and scale of the current crisis meant that the resistance is already consolidated around a pro Russian point of view. Their only alternative is to double down on repression and censorship, and hope the storm goes away.

This is visible by the western coverage of the crisis. The crisis is either ignored (something easy for a country with only 2,6 million people), or protesters are maliciously painted as traitors and sell outs, even if they clearly represent the vast majority of the country. This is done by emphasizing the role of Ilan Shor, a businessman and party leader that indeed has a story of political inconsistence, but by no means is less democratically legitimate than the current government.

Shor is called an “oligarch", a "fugitive", and protestors are explicitly mentioned as "paid by Russia". Not only is this a pathetic ad hominem (instead of addressing the real issues with his person), most protesters are not there for the love of him, but rather as part of a front including the Socialists and Communists (the largest opposition coalition) and the newly-formed left wing party Civic Congress. Shor, as a wealthy businessmen, solely has bigger ability to defy the state when even such a largely popular figure as the former president Igor Dodon is under house arrest

The government feels no need to justify its catastrophic decisions fueling inflation and poverty, such as purchasing energy at a 50% higher price from Romania, instead of from what they consider a part of their own country—Priednestrovie. The indifference of Sandu and her party towards Moldovans can be seen in a recent meeting with the authorities of Gagauzia, where she refused their request to negotiate with Russia for gas. When told that children will be cold at school, she replied—with a face devoid of emotion and full of arrogance—that it is not cold yet.

Moldova has no semblance of democracy and the government is not afraid of its people. There is no plan for a controlled exit and a compromise by those in charge of the regime. It can be either total defeat of Sandu and PAS or nothing. Last weekend's protests in Kishinev were massive: between 50-70k people, in a country marked by apathy and political indifference. But it is not yet at a Bastille moment, when the regime can no longer hold protests down by brute force.

The opposition’s fair goal of early elections is unlikely to mean the end of subservience and hardship, as Moldova’s elections are very far from fair. Preserving the momentum of the fight against repression is now paramount.

#MOLDOVA #RybarResponse

From our resident philosopher-strongman, Miroslav, a response to @Rybar’s thesis.

Moldova: Betting on the Horsewoman of the Apocalypse

Moldova is currently in a very precarious position. The standard of living wasn't high even before, but now it is becoming even more unbearable due to the implementation of the sanctions on Russia.

Popular protests are filling the streets, where police most brutally disperse people who demand the resignation of the government and the calling of new elections. Moldova’s blind obedience to the West’s diktat has brought the country to the verge of collapse, and not just economically, but now the very existence of the Moldovan state as an entity is also in question.

The situation with Pridnestrovje is certainly the Damocles sword above the heads of the political establishment. Moldova can't allow itself to defy the demands of the West, and can't afford to anger Russia. The small country is under tremendous pressure, not only from the great powers, but also from big regional powers, like Romania, which doesn't hide its claims on Chisinau.

Moldova has picked the wrong jockey to put its money on because, due to internal disturbances, it's now under the threat of implosion. Sandu’s government is not working in the interest of the Moldovan people but for Brussels and Washington, and, as long as the situation continues, Moldova's future is not very bright, and democracy, as always, shines only when it illuminates Western interests.

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In my previous text about the Moldovan crisis, I commented about how Sandu (current bootlicker, I mean, president) is Plahotniuc's sucessor as the Euro-Atlantic enforcer, essentially continuing from where he left under an "anti corruption" facade.

Now the oligarch who stole 15% of Moldova's GDP in 2014, but was tolerated, if not hailed, by the EU as a democrat, announces his return to Moldovan politics, from his hideout in Turkey.

According to the Moldovan Komsomolskaya Pravda, he stated: “How well the authorities are faring is evident from the situation in the country, and this is also the reason why I made a decision, which I now announce: I made the decision to return to Moldovan politics. I am a politician who knows how to deal with crisis situations.”

If you want to find out what are his intentions, and doesn't know what type of person he is, notice how many times the word "I" is present in his statement. This should give you a hint.

In my previous piece I asked what will be the "euro-atlantic" plan to keep controlling Moldova now their Gauleiter, Sandu, is so impopular, hated, the country visibly descended into a dictatorship and the population can be only controlled by force. What trick they would pull out this time, to just as when Plahotniuc became universally hated, to prevent a the pro russian government most citizens want. Well, looks like this is the answer.

The euro-oligarch Plahotniuc might not win, but could play a role in disorganising the opposition to the current regime, create the illusion of a "third option" between the two very visible camps, or use his paid thugs and capital for something.

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⚡️🇷🇺🇺🇦💡 @Rybar's Analysis - Russian Armed Forces hit Ukraine's Energy System on 15 Nov 2022⚡️

🔎 Rybar's team continues its analysis of the consequences of a systemic fire attack on Ukraine's energy system.

#Kiev said today's raid was the largest such attack since the start of the SMO. According to Ukrainian resources, cruise missiles and kamikaze drones damaged 15 critical infrastructure facilities.

We have repeatedly written that strikes have a cumulative effect, with each successive raid resulting in increasingly grave consequences for the Ukrainian energy system. This is exactly what today's events have demonstrated:

▪️ Strikes on the #Zmiev thermal power plant in #Chuguev district temporarily completely de-energised the entire #Kharkov region.

▪️ Strikes on facilities in #Kiev led to massive overloads in the power grid and tripping of emergency frequency overload automatics, which was perfectly visible in the footage of pulsating power on and off.

▪️ Repeated strikes on the #Zhytomyr 330 substation resulted in power outages in this regional centre and areas around it.

▪️ Voltage surges and temporary power outages were reported in western regions of Ukraine after repeated strikes on the Lvov-South 330 substation in Lvov Region and the #Kovel 330 substation in #Volyn Region.

🔻 For the first time, #Moldova also experienced the consequences of Russian missile strikes: paradoxically, they were the consequence of the policies of the authorities themselves in #Chisinau.

➖ Restrictions of gas supply to #Transnistria led to decrease of generation of the Moldavian state district power station that with its capacity stabilized the situation in the south of #Odessa region and fed the energy deficit of #Moldova.

➖ Due to reduced capacity and increased consumption from Ukraine, exacerbated by a possible impact on the 330 substation in #Artsyz, an automatic protection was triggered at the TPP. The plant switched to self-powered operation, which caused consumers in Moldova and Transnistria to be disconnected.

➖ Also, a section of the 750kV high voltage transit line in #Romania was disconnected, which may indirectly indicate a possible short circuit from the 750kV switchgear of the South Ukraine NPP.

🔻 The lack of objective data from most of the hit locations made it impossible to determine exactly which elements of the energy facilities were targeted in each attack.

However, dense black plumes could be seen in photos and videos from the arrival areas. This indirectly indicates that it is highly likely that the strikes were again directed at power and automatic transformers rather than general control stations (GCPs).

🩸 Their preservation would once again allow Ukrainian power producers to reassemble emergency circuits and eliminate damaged equipment in a relatively short period of time. Yes, it will cause even more severe restrictions, but power supply to consumers will be restored.

The absence of strikes on the General Control Stations reduces the impact on the Ukrainian energy system, although even then its resilience drops with each attack.

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