The Republic of Moldova (ex-Soviet, predominantly Romanian-speaking) has expelled a Russian diplomat who was accompanying the president of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnihanov, in his attempt to enter the territory of the republic. The diplomat, declared persona non grata, and another employee of the Russian embassy were accused of inappropriate behavior towards the border police, who did not allow the Tatarstan leader to enter the Republic of Moldova. Tatarstan is an autonomous Russian republic, and its president is a supporter of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Prime Minister Dorin Recean has stated that those who help to kill children and women in Ukraine have no business in the Republic of Moldova. The head of government also stated that the Chisinau authorities will not accept any association between the Republic of Moldova and the atrocities of the war in Ukraine.
