The goal is to cause an energy crisis and trigger a new refugee wave to destabilise Ukraine's European allies. As winter approaches, there is much anxiety in Ukraine. Last month, the so-called Coalition of the Willing, a group of Ukraine's allies led by France and the United Kingdom, agreed to mobilise significant resources to help Kyiv maintain its supply of electricity and central heating in big urban areas.
Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Moldova has been popping up in the news with increasing frequency. The Republic of Moldova is a small country on Ukraine's southwestern border, and in the spring of 2022, it seemed possible that Russia might also invade and occupy it. This would have opened up a second front for Ukraine and brought Russia right up to the southeastern border of both the EU and NATO.