Ex-CIA Director Petraeus: Moldova Is Putin's Next Likely Target

Former CIA Director David Petraeus issued a stark warning about Moldova being Russia's next likely target in its campaign to restore Soviet-era dominance over neighboring states.

“Putin constantly tries to recreate the Soviet Union. Moldova is a much more likely [target] because it is much more vulnerable,” Petraeus stated.

Petraeus emphasized that the pattern of Russian aggression — first seeking to dominate and then potentially occupy neighboring former Soviet republics — makes Moldova particularly at risk given its limited military capacity and the presence of Russian troops in the breakaway region of Transnistria.

The warning comes as the war in Ukraine continues, with Petraeus among a number of senior Western security officials raising alarms about what a potential Russian victory or frozen conflict might mean for other countries in Russia's self-declared sphere of influence.

Moldova's vulnerabilities

Moldova is one of Europe's poorest countries and has limited defense capabilities. Russian forces have been stationed in the Transnistria region since the early 1990s, giving Moscow a foothold on Moldovan soil. The country applied for EU membership following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.