Troop movements?

Concerns about mysterious Putin ships in the Danube

What are Russian ships doing in this Danube port?

(Bild: Screenshot Google Earth)

The Republic of Moldova is increasingly trembling at the influence of Russia. After a controversial referendum just turned out to be pro-European, calm has actually returned. But this could be deceptive, as there are now growing concerns about possible troop movements on the Danube.

Specifically, the small Danube port of Giurgiulești on the border between Moldova, Romania and Ukraine is currently causing headaches. Mysterious ships from Russia are said to have arrived there, as reported by "ntv".

Although nothing is yet known about the exact cargo of the ships, Olya Korbut from the Center for European Policy Analysis is now warning of the Kremlin's "obsession" with "covert operations". Moscow could currently be on the verge of gaining even more influence in the country.

Reminders of Kremlin action in Ukraine
Five ships have sailed from Russian ports across the Danube to the port in Giurgiulești in recent months, as Russian journalist Andrij Klymenko, who lives in Ukraine, explained. He fears that Moscow wants to create a kind of "anti-Maidan" in Moldova that is pursuing an anti-European agenda.

In this context, he recalled that after the pro-European Maidan protests in Ukraine on the eve of the occupation of Crimea in February 2014, Russia allowed special forces from the mainland to enter Sevastopol in an old bulk carrier.

Supply for troops in Transnistria?
There is also the possibility that attempts are being made to use the ships to supply the hard-to-reach Russian troops in Transnistria. Finally, there is a direct rail connection from Giurgiulești to the region, Korbut continued.

Russian and Transnistrian state flags wave in the wind near the monument to Russian military commander Alexander Suvorov.

(Bild: AFP)

Russia is said to be having difficulties replacing the officer corps of its 1,500 soldiers in the region and modernizing their equipment. Officers have been denied passage through Moldova since 2015, and an alternative land route was closed in 2022 amid angry protests from Moscow, the analyst said.

Maritime law makes Giurgiulești a safe harbor
But why the route via the Danube? Korbut explains that the route is protected by international maritime law. This means that freighters cannot be searched by neighboring Romania or Ukraine. The port of Giurgiulești is a free port and belongs to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. It is Moldova's only access to the sea.

Countries would need special regulations
The Black Sea Institute for Strategic Studies has a solution for this. Special regulations should be issued to allow searches of Russian ships calling at the port in the Romanian and Ukrainian parts of the Danube.

"The high level of professionalism of the naval forces of the Ukrainian armed forces and the successful cooperation with Romania and Bulgaria in the grain corridor have shown what is possible," said Korbut about the proposal.