Vadim Krasnoselsky spoke with PGTRK journalist Alexander Lagutin. They talked about the situation in the Security Zone, history and modern realities.
Alexander Lagutin, PGTRK:
Vadim Nikolaevich, thank you for agreeing to answer our questions. There have been a lot of statements by politicians in Kishinev lately. More recently, we learned that it turns out "the war on the Dniester in 1992 was started by the Russian Federation". I would very much like to know your position on this voiced position from Moldova.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Yes, I also read the media, Internet resources, I observed the rhetoric of Moldovan politicians that goes into the mainstream of rabid accusations against the Russian Federation. I have the impression that a certain part of the politicians have lined up to somehow and somehow accuse the Russian Federation of all mortal sins. Moldovan politicians, who are trying to present the war on the Dniester, the beginning of the 90s as an aggression of the Russian Federation, have also stood in this line. Very little time has passed, there are witnesses of those tragic events, you can ask them. You can simply take certain literature, look at the history in Internet resources and know the truth. Of course, many states are embarrassed by their tragic pages – repressions, the Holocaust, the war in 1992. They try somehow to embellish past events, to forget. However, this is history, it is available today. Those statements that sound are absolutely unfair, they distort the real history. I would like to remember what happened. These facts, which I will now give, are based precisely on history. Everything that I will say now can be easily verified by delving into the history of the formation of Moldova, Pridnestrovie, and so on.
To begin with, it is generally accepted that the war between Moldova and Pridnestrovie officially began on the night of March 1-2. An interesting event that took place in the Dubossary district – how did the parties participate in it - Pridnestrovie, Moldova and the Russian Federation? On the night of March 1-2, 1992, the OPON forces of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova (it was this unit) attacked the house of the servicemen of the former 14th army, which is located in the village of Cochieri, Dubossary district, where the wives and children of the former 14th army servicemen lived. It was then in a good way, protecting women and children, that the 14th Army had to somehow respond, protect, react, but this did not happen. The former 14th Army of the USSR did not belong to anyone in March 1992, it had not yet managed to pass under the jurisdiction of the Russian Federation. Who came to the defense of the wives and children of the 14th army servicemen? These were guardsmen and militiamen of Pridnestrovie. They managed to recapture the wives and children of Russian servicemen from the special forces detachment. There were also losses during these clashes, one of which was a major who covered a grenade thrown after the departing civilians with his chest. Naturally, he died, having accomplished a heroic deed, and is buried at the memorial. This is history. You can also check it. It is not clear to me why it was then that the former 14th Army did not put in place those nationalists, those politicians who ordered the attack of civilians by and large. This did not happen, unfortunately. There were clashes in Dubossary, Dubossary was shelled. Of course, Pridnestrovie defended as best it could. Then there was an invasion of the city of Bendery – June 19, 1992. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this sad date. I want to recall the events that preceded it. Literally a couple of days before June 19, the Parliament of Moldova adopted a decision on a peaceful solution to the Pridnestrovian issue. It was about further negotiations: as we are negotiating now, they were proposed back then. This was in June 1992. Following this decision, the city of Bendery was unblocked. Those posts that stood at the entrances to the city of Bendery were removed. The blocks were removed, personnel was withdrawn. Literally a few days later, a column of armored vehicles and personnel was brought into Bendery. These were military formations that that in the direction of the village of Varnitsa, Kishinev direction. Everyone who understands military affairs is well aware that it is impossible to enter the city without preparation. This should be done for at least 2-3 months. I suppose that the preparations had already begun in March 1992 after the aggression in Dubossary, the culmination was on the 19th of June. That is, the Moldovan Parliament by and large opened the city of Bendery, substituting civilians. Those who gave the order completely trampled on the opinion of their own Moldovan Parliament. That's how much you can trust the word of the Moldovan politician. And this is history.
Armed forces were used against the peaceful city (by the way this is the topic for conversation - not the police, but the armed forces of Moldova). Now many Moldovan politicians are talking about the time to replace the forces of peacekeeping organizations with some kind of international observers. Dear Moldovan politicians, we have already gone through all this together with you. It is enough to look at the history of the conflict and the invasion of Bendery. There were so-called observers at the time of the invasion of the city of Bendery, who represented certain states. Naturally, they couldn't do anything. They did not want to do anything against this aggression. Moreover, our guardsmen took them out under fire. They did not even bother to write a single report, an analytical report. Either they were in cahoots, or they simply chickened out, ran away, leaving people to their fate. Here is an assessment of what happened by the so-called international mission with an incomprehensible mandate. I doubt that anything has changed in this regard. The massacre began in Bendery. Then unfortunately the former 14th Army did not intervene in this conflict. It kept neutrality. It was then, by the end of May-beginning of June 14, that the army became part of the armed forces of the Russian Federation and became a Russian unit, but maintained neutrality. General Lebed arrived, he arrived, pursuing some goals, of course. The main thing is to stop the fight on the Dniester, I think so. In my opinion, this should have been done earlier. Only a month later, when hundreds of people, civilians, had already died, the former 14th Army nevertheless used certain forces and stopped the aggressor, stopped the war. This is not the aggression of the Russian Federation! This is a defense against an attack on a peaceful city, on peaceful Pridnestrovie. This is peace enforcement. This is peacekeeping. What if this hadn't happened? How many more people would die? How would it end for Moldova? Moldova would never have enslaved Pridnestrovie. Just those politicians, combatants, volunteers who condemn Russia's "aggression" should thank. Russia saved the lives of not only Pridnestrovians. Russia saved the lives of Moldovan representatives of the armed forces, those who entered the city of Bendery, fought there. If the war had not been stopped, thousands more people would have died - from Moldova, obviously, much more than from Pridnestrovie. The attacking side loses more. Therefore, thank Russia for saving your lives, in the end. Russia acted like a peacemaker. The peacekeeping forces entered, the peacekeeping process began. This is history.
No one answered for the use of armed forces against the civilian population in Moldova, although everyone perfectly understands who gave the order, who agreed on it, who did not resist this aggression. Everything is clear and understandable, almost all of these people are alive. They need to be brought to justice, condemned for war crimes against civilians. It's easier to talk about Russian aggression, it's so convenient at the present time. I want to remember something else.
World War II passed, the Nuremberg trials took place with its conclusions regarding Nazism and fascism. It would seem that everything, that's enough, put an end to this disastrous history, in these phenomena called "Nazism" and "fascism". Less than 50 years passed, and this nationalism sprouted through the body of the Soviet Union and crawled out suddenly. We all remember very well the appeals and slogans of the nationalists of Moldova in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Russophobic, anti-Semitic - “Russians for the Dniester, Jews for the Dniester”, we all remember this very well. Dear politicians, please read the history. This is your history too. It doesn't matter that you study the history of Romanians. You must have your own history, the history of Bessarabia, your region, the history of the new Moldova, whatever. Please read it. Remember your slogans. This is your history. Of course, it is appropriate to recall the "exploits" of your hero Ilashku and his accomplices. What were these bastards doing? They simply killed, shot people on the territory of Pridnestrovie - a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the MSSR, comrade Ostapenko, Deputy Gusar. How were they killed? Meanly shooting in the back. These are not front line soldiers. It is clear that war is war, this is a special topic for conversation. This is a vile shooting. This is understandable to any sane person. But these people were awarded orders and the highest awards in Moldova. In the understanding of Moldova, they accomplished a feat. That is, you call killing people a feat? This is your hisstory. Anyway. According to their understanding, both Ostapenko and Gusar violated the Constitution of the then incomprehensible state called Moldova. Well, there are no questions: detain them, bring them to justice. It was an extrajudicial killing. Don't you understand that your structures have given Ilashku and his company a "license to kill"? And they killed people, unarmed people. The state has no right to issue the “license to kill”. Otherwise, it is fascism. Do you still encourage such a thing as extrajudicial killings? Where is your democracy? You seem to be Democrats, that's what you call yourself? You are democratic, aspire to Europe. Yes, Europe is democratic, but you are still far from democracy. You are far from democracy without an answer for these atrocities. You still encourage murderers and those who repaired lawlessness, who repaired extrajudicial reprisals. You honor them as heroes, sent to kill those who broke into Dubossary, Bendery under the slogan of a united indivisible Moldova. What is a single indivisible Moldova? Read your history, dear sirs. You trampled on the united indivisible Moldavian SSR on June 23, 1990 and August 27, 1991. You destroyed it, you left the Moldavian SSR, not only the Soviet Union. Please read carefully your Declaration of Sovereignty of June 23, 1990 and your Declaration of Independence of August 27, 1991. This is your history, this is modern history. It clearly states that you are giving up Pridnestrovie.
Who is responsible for these atrocities? Do not know. When will be the answer? It is unclear. Even this year, which is declared in Moldova as the Year of the Volunteer, Combatant, is a confirmation that revanchism is still alive there, the desire to kill, probably to feed on nationalism and fascism, at least.
Alexander Lagutin, PGTRK:
Vadim Nikolaevich, when you watch Moldovan talk shows, they recall the events on the Dniester in the early 90s, many experts, politicians, former and current, say that the position of Pridnestrovie is understandable, but we have a completely different one, they say, everyone own truth. What can you answer them?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
There is only one truth for me personally, one single truth. Truth is also the same. What is it? The truth is in knowledge. That's all. Truth is defined by knowledge. If knowledge is not enough, then probably the truth is then its own, distorted. Therefore, I suggest that Moldovan politicians immerse themselves in the history of their state and come to the truth.
Alexander Lagutin, PGTRK:
Recently I made a story about the Year of combatants, veterans of the war on the Dniester, as they are called in Moldova. I searched on the Internet and a case of Russophobia immediately appeared, when a combatant violated the rules of the road, and he began to shout to the people who made a remark to him in Russian that “go and speak Russian to Moscow”. In general, there are such statements by politicians that Moldova sheltered the Russians in Moldova now. How do you feel about this?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Yes, there are such statements. At the household level and in the media, they are found. Let's go back to history again. The whole truth is in history. What history? About two hundred years ago, a little more. Please note that there are many Moldovan settlements on the territory of Pridnestrovie, on the left bank. It is necessary to pay attention to the date of formation of these Moldovan settlements. Basically it is the end of the XVII century. By the way, the village of Malaeshty. One well-known politician of Moldova is from Malaeshty. The village was founded in 1792, in October, just on the day of the formation of the city of Tiraspol. When Catherine the Great mastered the Little Russian lands as part of the Russian Empire, then the city of Tiraspol was founded. Catherine offered people of Moldovan nationality from the right bank housing here, on the left bank then. That was the opportunity to get away from the Ottoman ports. Bessarabia was part of the Ottoman port as a vassalage then. Naturally, the local people were absolutely powerless - without land, without a plow, only with duties. Catherine the Great offered people of Moldovan nationality to move to the left bank and get a plot of land, build housing, develop, live, pay taxes. This is what many locals did. At that time, the Russian Empire sheltered people of many nationalities who lived on the right bank, including Moldovans. This is how Moldovan villages appeared. It's about that time period.
As for Bessarabia, modern Moldova, this is also a very interesting history. By and large, Soviet power (we do not take into account that short period of time from the 1940 to 1941) was finally established in 1944, when the German-Romanian occupiers were driven out. In what form was Moldova presented? Poor, miserable, with thatched roofs, earthen floors, the absence of any industry, the absence of an agro-industrial complex, processing enterprises. There was absolutely nothing. There were no institutes, no universities, no medical facilities. There was no social policy. People of different nationalities not only Russians at the call of the Komsomol conscience then came from all over the Soviet Union, to Moldova to restore it - Moldova, Soviet Moldova. Entire institutes, entire departments were sent to Chisinau to build and equip universities and institutes then. Definitely, it was necessary to build education: secondary school, general, higher education. This was all done by people of different nationalities who came to save the Moldovan people. People of different nationalities built the entire industry in Moldova, in the Moldavian SSR. The whole industry: processing, heavy, foundry, food industry. These people, specialists, built the houses in which you now live, my dears. You must remember with gratitude what people of different nationalities once did to you. Not only Russians, but all the peoples of the Soviet Union worked here for you.
Alexander Lagutin, PGTRK:
Let’s compare what Moldova has achieved in thirty years of independence with what it was in the 1970s.
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
This is probably another conversation. I can say one thing. What has been built has largely not been preserved. How many enterprises have been plundered and destroyed in Moldova! Much has been preserved in Pridnestrovie. We are grateful to the entire Soviet Union that its people restored this region, Pridnestrovie as well, built enterprises here. This is also a fact, this is history, please study it. No need to look ridiculous in statements, because many people know the truth.
Alexander Lagutin, PGTRK:
Vadim Nikolayevich, I would like to pay attention to the incidents in the Security Zone. I am dealing with this subject. They have become more frequent. There were cases of kidnapping, attempts at kidnapping, shelling of border guards, equipment in the Security Zone. Who do you think is the author of all this stress? Why is this all happening now?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Someone is behind this, some curators are definitely pushing for provocations. You know, everything ends sooner or later, including provocations. I don't want to threaten anyone. Definitely, we will protect ourselves, do not even doubt it. No need to provoke, live in peace. A person is born on earth to create. Please create. You have a lot of work in Moldova. You have a lot to do: make roads, build hospitals, parks, houses of culture, sports facilities, take care of political stability, build your own economy, take care of social policy. No need to engage in provocations, it will end badly. Please study history to know how it ends.
Alexander Lagutin, PGTRK:
If you look at Russian, foreign news, there is no time for create now. Such regional instability. At the same time, we see how Moldova is being militarized. They signed a two-year cooperation plan with NATO last week. American planes with weapons arrived twice. At the same time, the plan for cooperation with NATO stipulates the replacement of peacekeepers with a civilian mission, which we have just discussed. Why is everything happening like this, how will we respond to these challenges of external threats?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
The neutrality of Moldova spelled out in the Constitution is a myth in fact. What we see today is proof of that. Moreover, the Constitutional Court can interpret neutrality as it pleases. By the way, it interprets it in such a way that Moldova has no right to participate in any external conflicts. The fact that is that there are some NATO centers, joint Moldovan-NATO exercises, joint battalions - this is all normal on its territory, you understand? This is not good, this is an escalation in its essence. Where will it lead? God forbid, not to war. I want to return once again those who are behind this, those who did not live that time, or were too young, they were children then: please study history. Otherwise, all this will lead to very sad results for statehood in the end. I am definitely against any militarization and escalation of the conflict. I consider that Russian peacekeepers are the guarantor of peace and stability on this earth. We should be grateful, just as the people of Moldova should be grateful, because any sane person understands that there is development in the world. There will be no development without peace, I am convinced that many citizens of Moldova, those who want peace, are grateful to the peacekeepers of the Russian Federation for peace and stability on the ground in both Pridnestrovie and Moldova.
Alexander Lagutin, PGTRK:
Vadim Nikolaevich, a lot of information has recently appeared in the Moldovan media regarding the activities of our large enterprises: the Moldovan Metallurgical Plant, the Rybnitsa Cement Plant, large economic agents, that they are all on the verge of closing, things are going very badly. How can you comment on this?
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the PMR President:
Of course, things are not going well - because of the blockade measures by Moldova. Moldova is doing everything possible to make us feel bad. It was Moldova that organized a banking blockade for us. It is Moldova that does not register bank accounts of our entities, prohibits currency conversion and other banking operations. It was Moldova that lobbied through the EU for a ban on the import of ferrous scrap to Moldova and in fact to Pridnestrovie. These are your actions, dear gentlemen, directed against the people of Pridnestrovie. You, as I understand it, you have not cooled down from 1992. Then there was a hot phase of the war, and what you are doing now is called blockade actions. We had problems with gas. The truth is that Moldova could not agree, played with Russia, in my opinion. Of course, we also had gas shortages, this goes without saying. Energy-intensive enterprises that depend on the gas component – Moldovan Metallurgical Plant, the Rybnitsa Cement Plant – suffered from this, but they did not stop their activities, by no means. They have worked and will continue to work. We have already stabilized all relations. As for energy sources, do not forget that Moldova receives 100% of electricity from Pridnestrovie, the export price is 53 US dollars for 1 megawatt. Let me remind you that now 1 megawatt costs 600 pounds in Britain, in London, and 300 Euros in Germany, 120 US dollars in Ukraine. You get 53 US dollars for 1 megawatt. So, be grateful for this to Pridnestrovie and the Russian Federation.
