By Anthony Bell

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has obviously shattered not only Eastern Europe, but the whole post-Soviet area. It has drastically deteriorated the security environment in the whole European region. Moreover, the conflict leads to the merging of new hubs of illegal activities across the continent. This process might embrace such areas as South Asia, the Pacific region, the Middle East, and Africa in the foreseeable future.

Moldova seems to be transforming into a large smuggling hub in the post-Soviet-area. Traditionally, Moldovan organized crime smuggled popular goods (tobacco, alcohol, medical / legal drugs, electronics, spare parts for automotive vehicles, etc.); some criminal groups joined illegal trafficking of cash (first of all, euros, dollars, and Turkish liras) and gold. Such serious crimes as human and illegal drug trafficking were only rumored (at the same time, the functioning of an illegal arms trafficking channel through the eastern part of the country between the mid-1990s and the late-2000s has been confirmed by multiple sources) and typically these allegations had neither ground nor reasons.

Since the start of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the situation has been deteriorating precipitously. In early February, Moldova’s Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita raised an issue of heavier border protection with the use of funds to be provided by the European Union (EU). According to the politician, the country sees an increase in the illegal trafficking of arms, various goods, and even people. “We do not want to become a country where security threats grow, or there is increased … trafficking or illegal smuggling,” Gavrilita told the Financial Times newspaper in early February. In mid-June 2022, Financial Times also mentioned ‘fear’ of some undisclosed NATO and EU officials over the smuggling of the weapons donated to Ukraine by the United States of America and European countries back.

Ukraine has been being supplied with vast numbers of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)- / U.S.-originated small arms (including handguns, submachine guns, assault rifles, sniper firearms, and general purpose machine guns), ammunition (from 5.56 mm to 14.5 mm projectiles), and fire support weapons (both shoulder-fired anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) systems and man-portable air defense (MANPAD) systems). The quantities of these deliveries could impress even a person who has nothing in common with combat operations and warfare: Kyiv has received no less than 8,500 MANPADs, some 4,500 modern ATGMs, and a large number of multi use anti-tank grenade launchers (let alone disposable anti-tank weapons; no one is capable of counting them in a precise manner). Nobody could be astounded by reverse – and also illegal – trafficking of small arms back to Europe. According to some estimations, no less than 10-15% of small arms and light weapons (SALWs) delivered to Ukraine will inevitably be brought back to the European region. This trend will dramatically complicate recent and rather successful efforts of EU’s law enforcement agencies to combat organized crime. Thus, the severest European-based criminal groups may raise their heads again.

It should be mentioned that there are some warnings regarding possible human trafficking in Moldova. Despite the fact that no confirmation of such crimes can be seen in the country (as of early March, at least), the global law enforcing community should pay its attention to these possible cases.

Moldova is also reported to be involved in some US-initiated biological research activities in the post-soviet area. In 2008, the Central Reference Laboratory was opened in Chisinau under the AIDS and Hepatitis B/C prevention program with the financial aid from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Despite the aforementioned US sponsorship, Moldova spent some USD300 million to finance this facility. However, the research activities there seem to be kept away from the public eye.

The country has recently seen several outbreaks of measles; disease reached its apex in 2018. The virus is reported to have been borne from neighboring Ukraine, and Moldova saw some 200 cases of measles. According to Moldova’s medical officials, the reduction of anti-measles vaccination level was the original cause; however, it might have been provoked by the activities of Ukrainian-based US biological laboratories.

In recent years, Moldova has also been facing the African swine pest (ASP), which is not endemic to the geographical area. In 2018, biological samples of infected home animals were transferred from Gagauzia in the southern part of the country to a Chisinau-based US biological laboratory. Therefore, the research activities of this facility might have been the main reason for the ASP outbreak.

It should also be mentioned that the US biological facility in Chisinau was also interested in conducting some research in Transnistria: a number of experiments in the field of genetics and agriculture. Against this background it should be mentioned that the capabilities of local residents to resist viruses and to embrace new anti-hepatitis vaccines were said to have been studied.

The author is an independent military analyst.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of Financial Express Online. Reproducing this content without permission is prohibited.

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