Moldova may revoke citizenship of those fighting for Russia in Ukraine, says President Sandu
According to Sandu, Moldova should not allow its citizens to fight on the side of an aggressor.
Read also: Moldova accuses Russia of making false claims to destabilize situation in country
“We’re considering the option of revoking Moldovan citizenship from residents of the country with Russian passports who fight on the side of the aggressor,” she said.
In addition, the authorities also plans to increase the punishment for Moldovan citizens who do not have Russian citizenship and who fight on the side of the aggressor in Ukraine.
According to Sandu, she asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to start negotiations with the Russian side to prevent cases of mobilization of Moldovan citizens living on the territory of Russia.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin early on Sept. 21 declared a partial mobilization in Russia and his readiness to use nuclear weapons in the event of a “threat to the territorial integrity” of Russia.
Later, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that 300,000 reservists would be called up during the partial mobilization. He estimated Russia’s mobilization resource at almost 25 million people.
Read also: Not enough people left in occupied areas of Zaporizhzhia Oblast to hold “referendum,” official says
Meanwhile, Kremlin proxies in occupied Donbas “statelets” announced on Sept. 20 that they would hold referendums on joining Russia. The occupation “administrations” stated that the sham plebiscite will be held Sept. 23-27.
Kremlin-controlled puppet "authorities" in Kherson and Zaporizhzhya oblasts also announced plans to hold referendums on “uniting with Russia” on the same dates.
The statements were made shortly after a rapid counter-offensive by the defenders of Ukraine: on Sept. 14, the Ministry of Defense reported that since Sept. 6 (in the space of one week), the Armed Forces of Ukraine had liberated 388 settlements and about 8,500 square kilometers of territory in Kharkiv Oblast alone.
Andriy Yermak, the chief-of-staff of the President’s Office of Ukraine, said Russia’s blackmail regarding the holding of referendums in the temporarily occupied territories was due to its fear of defeat.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba emphasized that sham referendums that Russia is trying to organize in the occupied territories were irrelevant to the situation.
Meanwhile, the Russian State Duma – the Kremlin’s rubber-stamp parliament – on Sept. 20 rushed through votes introducing the concepts of“mobilization,” “martial law,” and “armed conflict” into Russia’s Criminal Code. Now in Russia, desertion, absence from service and voluntary surrender will be punished more severely.
Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
