Moldova and other Eastern European countries need to be ready for a new wave of Ukrainian refugees as Russia continues to attack energy and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, Moldova’s Interior Minister Ana Revenco said during a visit in Vilnius.
“Now, as winter is already here, houses, as the temperatures go lower, and the attacks on the energy infrastructure is increasing in tension, it could indeed generate a new wave of refugees, force people to leave their houses. We must stay prepared, we understand that,” Revenco told BNS after a meeting with her Lithuanian counterpart Agnė Bilotaitė on Thursday.
“The situation remains quite volatile. What we have learned since February 24 is to react, rely on friends, such as Lithuania,” she added.
According to Revenco, Russia is using migration “as a tool, as a weapon”.
Moldova is the first country on the refugee front and it has dealt with a major influx of migrants because of the war in Ukraine, Bilotaitė said. Nearly 650,000 Ukrainians initially fled to Moldova, and around 80,000 people remain there today.
Lithuania, for its part, has received around 72,000 people from Ukraine.
“Lithuania was the first country to offer to help Moldova take in up to 2,000 Ukrainians, and around 250 Ukrainians from Moldova have arrived,” the minister told BNS.
Cold weather may force Ukrainians to leave their country, and Lithuania is ready to take in an additional 20,000 to 30,000 Ukrainians, Bilotaitė said.
During their meeting, the two ministers discussed the regional situation, security issues and shared their experiences in coping with the challenges of war.
Last autumn, Moldova faced several Russian-induced attacks, including power cuts across the country due to Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, as well as mobile phone outages.
There have also been false reports of bombs in courts, schools and institutions, pro-Russian protests in Chisinau, as well as cyber attacks against government institutions and representatives.
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