Russia’s Next Target?
What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Slate Podcasts
4.3 • 2.4K Ratings
🗓️ 11 May 2022
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Curious explosions in a Russian stronghold of Moldova have the world wondering if Putin is making his next play. Why is a tiny country on Ukraine’s western border of such strategic importance?
Guest: Monika Pronczuk, Brussels-based reporter for the New York Times.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | I think that the holidays feel like frozen noses. I love walking with the dog for long periods of time. |
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| 0:49.0 | I want you to close your eyes and imagine a place caught between two worlds. It's known as Transnistria. |
| 1:00.0 | Technically, this is part of Moldova. But in reality, Transnistria's got its own currency, the rubel. |
| 1:07.0 | It's even got its own flag emblazoned with a hammer and a sickle. |
| 1:11.0 | Well, Transnistria is this odd place that kind of in a way feels probably like an enclave of Soviet Union. |
| 1:21.0 | Monica Brunchuk has been reporting about Moldova and Transnistria for the New York Times. |
| 1:26.0 | Transnistria runs along the edge of Moldova. It's strategically important right now because it is pressed up next to Ukraine. |
| 1:36.0 | On a map, Moldova sort of looks like Ukraine's missing puzzle piece, sitting snugly inside its larger neighbor. |
| 1:44.0 | Moldova has three borders with Ukraine and one of those borders. So it's like it really is tucked. |
| 1:50.0 | It's really is tucked. And sort of one of those borders is this Finns liver of land that's called Transnistria. |
| 1:58.0 | So we have Moldova, which is a former Soviet republic. |
| 2:05.0 | And you have this region where you had a lot of retired Soviet generals that were coming because Moldova is also a country with very nice mild weather, with good foods. |
| 2:17.0 | They produce wine. It's quite sunny. So a lot of those retired Russian generals would like come there to live. |
| 2:24.0 | And so after the breakup of the Soviet Union, they sort of rebelled. And with military backup of Russia, they just created their own country. |
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