Mircea Snegur, the first president of Moldova, in his last interview for Ziarul de Gardă said that the war waged by Russia in Ukraine is analogous to the one in the Transnistrian region in 1992. Eventually, Ukraine will know peace, and thanks to the policy of the current power in Chisinau on the neutrality of the country, Moldova will not be attacked, he said.

Mircea Snegur said in the 2022 interview that Ukraine is facing a war with Russia of the same nature as the one that took place in the Transnistrian region in 1992, “only our territory is much smaller”.

“It’s a war that I personally condemn, along with all people, especially because we, 30 years ago, went through a similar war, just not of the same intensity. It is known that at that time, hostile circles in Moscow armed the separatists, supported them militarily, logistically and economically. They sent them to positions under the pretext of being instructors. Just like now – special operation to defend Lugansk and Donetsk. In fact, they are bombing the whole of Ukraine.

I don’t think anyone expected Putin to attack Ukraine in its entirety. One might have thought that he would just recognize the so-called independent republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, install his Russian army there (just like in Transnistria), with the aim to separate them from Ukraine altogether, but one can already see what he wants. He wants to destroy Ukraine altogether, under the pretext, I’m also sick of saying what nonsense Putin is spouting – “fascist leadership, ultranationalists”.

“I can definitely say that Putin and his Russians are aggressors, they are murderers,” Snegur pointed out.

According to the first president, Putin “would like eternal history”.

“He can deplore the Soviet Union. It’s hard to understand what’s in Putin’s head and what he really wants, but I think a reconstruction of the Soviet Union is practically impossible. The world has become civilised, individual countries decide their own fate”, Mircea Snegur added.

Moldova’s first president, 83-year-old Mircea Snegur, died on Wednesday night (14 September).

On Saturday, 16 September, the funeral of Moldova’s first president, Mircea Snegur, will take place.

Mircea Snegur was born on 17 January 1940 in the village of Trifănești, Soroca county. In 1956 he graduated from the secondary school in the village of Frumușica, Florești district. He completed his higher education at the Agricultural Institute in Chisinau, which he graduated in 1961. He was an aspirant to the department of phytotechnics of the same institute (1972). He is an agronomist-scientist and holds a doctorate in agricultural sciences.

According to a biography published on the Presidency’s website, in 1961-1968 he worked as an agronomist and chairman of a farm in the village of Lunga, Florești district, and later held the posts of: Director of the Experimental Station for Field Crops (1968-1973), Head of the Main Department of Agricultural Science of the Ministry of Agriculture (1973-1978), General Director of the Scientific Association of Production “Selection” and Director of the Scientific Research Institute for Field Crops in the city of Balti (1978-1981).

From 1981 to 1985 he was the first secretary of the Edinet District Committee of the PCM. From 1985 to 1989 he was secretary of the CC of the PCM.

From 1989 to 1990 he served as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the MSSR and Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the MSSR. From 3 September 1990 to 1 December 1996 he was President of the Republic of Moldova.

On 26 March 1989 he was elected a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, was a member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in the 11th and 12th legislatures, and a member of the Moldovan Parliament in the 14th legislature.

He was chairman of the Party of Rebirth and Reconciliation of Moldova. He has been awarded several state distinctions and honorary titles over the years.