Moldova takes bold stand by closing "Russian House" New Era of Sovereignty?

The authorities of Moldova have announced their decision to close the Russian Centre for Science and Culture ("Russian House").

On February 13, Moldova’s Foreign Ministry reported the unilateral denunciation of the 1998 Moldovan-Russian intergovernmental agreement on the establishment and operation of cultural centers, citing violations of the country's airspace by Russian strike drones.

Once the termination process is completed, "Russian House" will be required to cease its operations in Moldova, the foreign ministry stated. On the same day, Russian Ambassador to Moldova Oleg Ozerev was summoned to the Moldovan Foreign Ministry.

A strong protest was expressed over these unacceptable violations, with officials emphasising that such incidents pose a serious threat to Moldova's security and its citizens.

"The Russian diplomat was informed that such actions are a violation of national sovereignty and another unfriendly gesture from the Russian Federation," the ministry's website stated.

As evidence, the Russian ambassador was shown fragments of drones that had fallen on Moldovan territory. Chișinău’s officials once again urged Russian authorities to immediately halt these incursions and to strictly respect the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova.

Moldovan analysts shared their views on Chișinău’s decision to close the "Russian House" with Caliber.Az.

Political analyst Victor Ciobanu believes that it is undeniable that the Azerbaijani precedent of closing the representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo in Azerbaijan, known as the "Russian House" has influenced Chișinău. 

"The closure of this Russian espionage hub was only a matter of time. The latest incident involving the violation of Moldova's airspace by Russian drones served as a trigger. On February 13, as a result of a massive drone attack on the Ukrainian port of Reni, Moldova's border services detected several drones crossing the country's territory. One drone crashed in a field near the village of Ciumai in the Taraclia district, while another exploded in a field between the town of Ceadîr-Lunga and the village of Valya-Perzhey," he said.

“This time, not only a note of protest but also tangible evidence — Geran drone fragments were delivered and a firm demand to respect the sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova was expressed to the Russian ambassador. As expected, the ambassador denied Russia's involvement in the incident and called for further investigation,” the expert said.

“The Russian embassy in Moldova has already stated that one thing is clear—Chișinău continues to escalate tensions and undermine traditional ties with Russia. This cynical step reflects the indifference of the current elites to the interests and needs of a bi number of Moldovan citizens, including the younger generation, who are eager to study the Russian language, culture, and history despite the promoted Russophobia,” Ciobanu said.

"Made-up accusations of Russophobia are a typical propaganda cliché of the Russian Foreign Ministry. It is absolutely clear that Kremlin, rather than Chișinău, is escalating tensions by continuing its barbaric shelling of Ukraine, with Moldova being an unintended victim," the political analyst said.

Doctor of History, Director of the Institute of Effective Politics (Chisinau) Vitaly Andrievsky stated that Russian drones often enter Moldovan territory. 

"However, previously, the drones were non-combat ones, and their purpose was to disrupt Ukraine's air defence systems targeting military objectives. This time, however, combat Russian drones crossed Moldova's border, and they even exploded. Fortunately, there were no casualties or damage," he said.

"What is important to note in this story? Our authorities have expressed dissatisfaction with Russia over all instances of Russian aircraft violating Moldova's border. Russia has never apologized. It didn't apologize this time either, even though combat drones flew in and exploded on Moldovan territory," Andrievsky noted.

"Patience has run out," he says, "and this time, the Moldovan authorities have shown resolve and determination."

"In response to this action, the closure of the Russian Centre for Science and Culture was announced. It cannot be ruled out that the next step will be the closure of the editorial office of Sputnik Moldova," Andrievsky said.  

“Some experts believe that Moldova is copying Azerbaijan’s actions, which previously closed the Russian House and restricted the activities of Sputnik Azerbaijan. I would put it differently. Moldova is not copying, but rather taking a cue from a country that doesn't forgive offenses. After all, Putin never gathered the courage to publicly acknowledge the plane shooting down or to provide compensation to the surviving passengers and the families of the victims,” he said. 

“Moldova doesn't want to conflict with anyone, but it is no longer willing to tolerate Russian drone incursions," Andrievsky added.