US troops arrived in Moldova with military aid
On May 18, a C-17 aircraft of the North Carolina Air National Guard, US, arrived at Chisinau Airport to support Exercise PEACE SHIELD, according to the US Embassy in Moldova.
35 servicemen from the North Carolina National Guard and US Air Forces in Europe will practice emergency response tactics necessary for the safety of Moldovan citizens.
In addition, the aircraft delivered medical and defense equipment, which will be handed over to the Ministry of Defense of Moldova as part of US aid.
"The US is proud to partner with the Moldovan government and people as they continue to build a democratic, prosperous, and secure future," the embassy said in a statement.
Danger to Moldova from Russia
The Kremlin has set out to derail Moldova's European integration. According to Moldova's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mihai Popsoi, Moscow is using various methods for this, from deepfakes created by artificial intelligence to bags of cash.
The head of Moldova's intelligence, Alexander Mustyata, stated that Russia intends to disrupt this year's presidential elections and the referendum on EU integration.
British intelligence says that Russia plans to target Moldova with a wave of so-called hybrid attacks before these events.
Recently, on May 15, Moldova announced the signing of an agreement with the European Union on cooperation in the field of security and defense.