They want buffer states with puppet leaders such as Lukashanko, as Russia and East Ukraine is all flat and supposedly easy to invade. Basically the expansion o

They want buffer states with puppet leaders such as Lukashanko, as Russia and East Ukraine is all flat and supposedly easy to invade. Basically the expansion of NATO and the EU screwed up the Kremlin's plans to weaken Russia's Western neighbours and bring them into its sphere of influence. Poland and Romania are the new West Germany. In fact Moldova was part of Romania before it was occupied by the USSR after WW2, so it's pretty much in a similar situation to East/West Germany. It became independent after 1991 because Russia wanted to control it. They are using narratives such as the "Moldovan language" (in fact Romanian) since at least the 70s and later blackmail using Transnistria in order to divide and control. Moldova being admitted into the EU is basically on a path to de facto unification.