Russian paper: "Transnistria has enough weaponry to destroy every Moldovan and Romanian soldier"

Argumenti Nedeli, a sister publication to Argumenti i Facti, one of the most circulated papers in Russia, recently published an article about the Russian weaponry stores in Transnistria and the missile controversy.

The paper describes Tiraspol's recent announcement that it would be willing to host Russian Iskander missiles on its territory as a response to Romania accepting to host elements of the American missile system on its territory. It notes that if Moscow accepts this offer, Romania would be covered entirely by the Iskander.

Argumenti Nedeli goes on to say that the Transnistrian army is much stronger than the Moldovan army, and that it has enough weaponry and equipment to destoy all Moldovan and Romanian soldiers should a conflict emerge in the region.

Yaroslav Vyatkin, the article's author, notes that due to the fact that "almost everyone [in Transnistria] has Russian passports, we will have to defend our citizens if something happens."

Mr. Vyatkin says that this is one of the reasons why Russia has not yet withdrawn its soldiers from the separatist republic.

Chisinau has repeatedly asked Russia to withdraw. The Moldovan Constitution says that the country is neutral and does not allow the presence of foreign troops on its territory.

The article, in the original Russian, is available here.

[The report translated some of the paper directly from Russian]