What did Putin's Transnistria decree change for Moldova?
A look back at two Russia-related developments reported in the days before 23 February 2023, one involving Moldova and one South Africa.
What did it mean when Russia withdrew a decree that had underpinned Moldova's sovereignty over Transnistria? As of 23 February 2023, that question had been raised by a step reported the previous day.
On 22 February 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin revoked a 2012 foreign policy decree. The decree had underpinned Moldova's sovereignty in resolving the political status of the breakaway Transnistria region. Its revocation touched both Moldova–Russia relations and Russia–Transnistria relations.
A separate exercise in the Indian Ocean
Russia also featured in a different report from the days before. On 17 February 2023, the South African Navy hosted a ten-day joint military exercise in the Indian Ocean with Russia and China. The exercise was named Mosi II, after the Tswana word for smoke. It drew attention to Russia–South Africa and China–South Africa relations.
The two reports concerned different regions and different kinds of ties. Both appeared in the days leading up to 23 February 2023, and both involved Russia's relations with other countries.
