Moldavian army. Comparison of the armies of Moldova and the PMR: anti-tank army

How are the Moldovan military equipped and trained?
23 years ago, on September 3, 1991, the country's first president, Mircea Snegur, issued decree No. 193 “On the formation of the armed forces.” This date became the official holiday of the National Army. NM understood what, more than two decades later, the army of Moldova is like, the necessity of whose existence is questioned from time to time.
The first defense department of independent Moldova was State Department on military issues, which was headed by the future adviser to President Mircea Snegur, Nicolae Chirtoaca, who later worked as the Ambassador of Moldova to the United States. On November 18, the text of the military oath was approved, and on January 10, 1992, the draft military doctrine of Moldova was published.

On February 5, 1992, the Ministry of Defense of Moldova was created on the basis of the Department of Military Affairs. Its first leader was General Ion Costas, who headed the republic’s Ministry of Internal Affairs before moving to the defense department. This year, the ministry was headed by the ninth minister - General Valery Troenko.

Legs
The National Army (NA) of Moldova consists of two types of armed forces: Ground and Air Force. Total number The national army now does not exceed 4.5 thousand people. The basis of the combat power of the ground forces is made up of three combined arms formations (motorized infantry brigades - MPBR). The first - Moldova is stationed in Balti, the second - Stefan cel Mare in Chisinau and the third - Dacia in Cahul.

The motorized infantry brigade of the National Army of Moldova includes a directorate and headquarters, three motorized infantry battalions (on BMD-1, armored personnel carriers or on vehicles), a howitzer artillery division, an anti-tank division (one or two batteries of anti-tank guns and a battery of anti-tank guided missiles - ATGM), a division air defense- batteries of anti-aircraft installations (ZU) 23-2 and man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems, reconnaissance, communications, engineering, chemical protection, repair, logistics, battery artillery reconnaissance and communications; medical center, orchestra, training ground.

The capital's Stefan cel Mare brigade is considered the most fully equipped: it is equipped with the most powerful weapons and the best military equipment.

Also stationed in Chisinau:

22nd Battalion peacekeeping forces“Blue Helmets” is a military unit on the basis of which personnel are trained to participate in international peacekeeping operations;
- Fulger special forces battalion (not to be confused with the police special forces of the same name) - the best and most trained military unit of the National Army;
- a security battalion with a company of honor guard;
- communications battalion.

Also in the capital are the Alexandru cel Bun Military Academy and the Central Military Hospital.

Not far from Chisinau, in the village of Bachoi, there is a storage and repair base for equipment and weapons of the National Army. The Codru engineering battalion is stationed in the village of Negresti. At the military base in Ungheni, where the Prut artillery brigade was previously located, there is now a division of 152-mm 2A36 Giatsint-B cannons: three artillery batteries of six guns each (three more Giacints are constantly located at the Bulboaca training ground). The rocket systems division is also stored here. volley fire(MLRS) 9P140 “Hurricane” - two batteries of four units each.

The current status of the Hurricanes has not been fully determined. According to unconfirmed reports, the rocket systems are being prepared for sale, since the republic does not need such powerful weapons. According to other information, the Uragans will be brought into combat-ready condition and will return to the combat strength of the artillery of the National Army. It is known for sure that this year Moldova did not declare the Uragan MLRS available as being in service.

The army's main field training base is the Bulboaca training ground. There are also testing grounds in Balti, Cahul and Danceny.

In addition, after the end of the active phase of the conflict on the Dniester, a contingent of the National Army was formed as part of the Joint Peacekeeping Forces (JPF) in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova. Currently, 500 military personnel serve as part of this contingent. It consists of a directorate, a group of military observers, a support and communications unit (Bendery, SMS headquarters), two motorized infantry battalions (in the villages of Koshnitsa and Kochieri) and a separate motorized infantry company (the village of Varnitsa).

In fact, staffing the SMS consumes most of the NA's human resources. Conscripts from all three motorized infantry brigades, having mastered their military specialty and served the first six months, in full force, with the exception of drivers, mechanics and those selected for sergeant positions, are sent to serve the remaining six months in the peacekeeping forces. Thus, it can be stated that almost the majority of military personnel of the Republic of Moldova have experience in participating in international peacekeeping activities.

Wings
The NA Air Force consists of the Decebal airbase at the Marculesti airfield and the anti-aircraft missile regiment (until recently a brigade) Dimitrie Cantemir. The regiment is armed with 12 launchers of the S-125 Neva anti-aircraft missile system. The installations of the S-200 long-range complex have apparently been withdrawn from service due to the deterioration of the material and technical base of missile weapons.

Several radar surveillance companies are also dispersed throughout the republic, which are on combat duty with some frequency. NA anti-aircraft gunners have not conducted practical missile launches for more than a decade.

In accordance with international verification data, the National Army has at its disposal two AN-72 military transport aircraft, one AN-26, two AN-2, one YAK-18T trainer and six MI-8 helicopters of various modifications. The helicopters are located outside the country, as they are involved in international humanitarian operations abroad. The crews of the vehicles are staffed by citizens of Moldova who have specialized education, but are not members of the National Army.

The Moldovan Defense Ministry also has six front-line MIG-29 fighters at its disposal, which need repairs and are periodically put up for sale.

Trunks
The National Army does not have the main weapon of modern combined arms combat - tanks. For comparison: the armed forces of the unrecognized Transnistria have about 18 T-64B tanks. There are two more operational T-34s, restored and used during parades and for some reason listed on the balance sheet of the local Ministry of Internal Affairs. Moldova also does not have nuclear, chemical, biological weapons, strategic, operational-tactical and short-range missiles.

In total, the National Army currently has:

BMD-1 combat vehicles - 44 units (including command vehicles);
- self-propelled artillery mounts 2S9 “Nona” - 9;
- self-propelled launchers of anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) “Konkurs” - 21 (based on BRDM-2);
- armored personnel carriers (BTR-80) - 11;
- TAB-71 - 89;
- BTR-D - 9;
- MT-LB - 55;
- armored reconnaissance and patrol vehicles (BRDM-2рх) - 15;
- 152-mm guns 2A36 "Gyacinth-B" - 21;
- 152 mm howitzers D-20 - 31;
- 122-mm howitzers M-30 - 17;
- 120-mm mortars PM-120 - 7;
- 82 mm mortars - 52;
- 57-mm S-60 anti-aircraft guns - 11 units;
- 23-mm anti-aircraft installations (ZU) 23-2 - 28;
- 100-mm anti-tank guns MT-12 "Rapier" - 36;
- easel anti-tank grenade launchers(LNG-9) “Spear” - 138;
- Fagot ATGM launchers - more than 70.

There are a sufficient number of hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers and small arms(mainly produced in the USSR): machine guns, machine guns, sniper rifles, pistols and a supply of ammunition for them.

Ammunition for all types of weapons was inherited by the National Army from the USSR and was not updated throughout the period of Moldova’s independence. There were also no purchases of weapons and military equipment. Every year, so-called control shootings of ammunition are carried out at firing ranges in Moldova. Thus, the resource of their storage and use is officially extended. According to NM, most rocket ammunition cannot be used, and most artillery shells and mines can only be used in the event of combat operations.

Losses
Over the years of its existence, the National Army voluntarily abandoned some of its weapons and equipment. At the beginning of the 2000s, as part of the implementation of the “Convention on the Ban of Anti-Personnel Mines” (signed by Moldova in 2000, entered into force in 2001), the National Army completely got rid of stockpiles of anti-personnel mines.

Of the 32 MIG-29 fighters inherited after the collapse of the USSR, Moldova sold 25: four to Yemen in 1992, 21 to the United States in 1997. One combat training aircraft was transferred to Romania to pay off debts. Also, 18 launchers of the S-75 Dvina anti-aircraft missile system were sold to Romania.

A certain number of small arms were sold (according to an investigation by a parliamentary commission conducted in 2002, at least 500 units) and various ammunition, including aircraft missiles, anti-tank guided missiles, ammunition for the Uragan MLRS, etc.

In 2013, 21 self-propelled vehicles were sold to Ukraine launcher ATGM 9P149 "Sturm-S" based on MT-LB and a supply of missiles for them.

Over the years, the Prut artillery brigade, a separate anti-tank division (equipped with the same Shturm-S ATGMs that Ukraine received), a separate logistics battalion (a unique military unit of its kind that carried out cargo transportation throughout the CIS and neighboring countries) were liquidated ), a separate chemical defense company, a separate radio reconnaissance and electronic warfare company.

The Air Force was left without an anti-aircraft missile brigade (reformed into a regiment), a mixed aviation brigade and a mixed aviation squadron (stationed at the Chisinau airfield).

Various real estate and lands that were on the balance sheet of the Defense Ministry of Moldova were transferred to new owners or sold on a commercial basis. And some objects are simply abandoned, for example the bunker of the Stavka reserve command post southwest direction USSR Ministry of Defense in Oleshkany.

Features of national training
The training of military personnel of the National Army is based on a combination of techniques inherited from the Soviet Army and adopted from Western countries. Taking into account that the conscription service period is only 12 months, half of which the majority of conscripts spend as part of the SMS, that is, outside the points of permanent deployment of units and formations, it can be stated that the main resource of the army is the officer corps, sub-officers and contract sergeants . They are the ones who preserve weapons and equipment, pass on experience, knowledge, skills and abilities in military affairs.

Basic training for officers is carried out at the Alexandru cel Bun Military Academy. In addition, until recently, Moldovan military personnel had the opportunity to study in military educational institutions of foreign countries: the USA, Germany, China, France, Greece, Romania and the Russian Federation.

Until 2007, officers of the National Army were admitted to Russian military academies for various courses free of charge and on a non-competitive basis (later this practice stopped). Thus, along with graduates of, for example, the Command and General Staff College of the US Armed Forces and the US Naval Institute, senior officers who graduated from the Military Academy of the Russian Armed Forces or the Academy of Logistics and Transport of the Russian Armed Forces serve in the Natsarmiya.

In the armies of more developed countries, military personnel are trained using modern technology, weapons and equipment. There are known cases when graduates of prestigious military educational institutions Westerners, returning to Moldova, were faced with the problem of complete ignorance of the weapons and equipment prevailing in the region.

It should also be noted that in Moldova there is a complete lack of a system for preparing and maintaining a military-trained reserve. Over the past two decades, the National Army has never held military training with assigned personnel. And this despite the fact that the nominal mobilization resource of Moldova exceeds 100 thousand people.

In Transnistria, for example, military training with assigned personnel is held regularly. Moreover, Pridnestrovian officials and deputies of various levels take part in them. In fact, in Moldova, despite the presence of an army, there is completely no system of mobilization readiness, which forms the basis of the defense of any state. A similar situation, by the way, was in neighboring Ukraine.

Nikolai Barchevsky, military expert, specially for NewsMaker

There has been a war in Eastern Ukraine for more than a year now. IN Lately There are intense rumors that Russia can open a “second front” from the Transnistria region and seize Odessa. Considering that Ukraine has banned Russian military transit to Moldova through its territory, as well as Russia’s interest in further destabilizing Ukraine, these rumors look quite plausible. The situation is worsened by the total discontent of the population in general and Odessa residents in particular with the Ukrainian authorities. It is not clear how Poroshenko hopes to improve the situation by appointing Mikheil Saakashvili, who enjoys a very controversial reputation among the local population, to the post of Odessa governor.
Against this background, Ukrainian relations with Moldova become very important. We must be aware that Romania, on the contrary, is interested in weakening Ukraine and Moldova, with a view to the subsequent annexation of right-bank Moldova, as well as some regions of Ukraine - Bukavina and the Izmail region. Which until 1940 were part of the Romanian Kingdom, and where Romanians live compactly in several areas, constituting the overwhelming majority of the population.

Let's see what the armed forces of Moldova are now.

The armed forces are staffed by conscripts and contract volunteers. The term of conscription service is 12 months. The age for conscription into the army is 18 years, for voluntary service - 17. The number of armed forces is 6.5 thousand military personnel and 2.3 thousand civilians. The number of men aged 16 to 49 years fit for service for health reasons is about 875 thousand. Every year, up to 30 thousand men reach military age. The number of trained reservists is about 300 thousand.
Military budget$30.4 million per year.
- 1st Motorized Infantry Brigade (Balti): according to wartime staff 1500 people, in Peaceful time 785 people;
- 2nd motorized infantry brigade “Stefan cel Mare” (Chisinau): in wartime 1600 people, in peacetime 915 people;
- 3rd motorized infantry brigade “Dacia” (Cahul): in wartime 1500 people, in peacetime 612 people;

Each Motorized Infantry Brigade of the National Army of Moldova includes a command and headquarters, three motorized infantry battalions (on BMD-1, armored personnel carriers or on vehicles), a howitzer artillery division, an anti-tank division (one or two batteries of anti-tank guns and a battery of anti-tank guided missiles - ATGM), air defense division - batteries of anti-aircraft installations (ZU) 23-2 and man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems, reconnaissance, communications, engineering, chemical defense, repair, logistics, artillery reconnaissance and communications batteries; medical center, orchestra, training ground.

Artillery brigade “Prut” (Ungheni) according to wartime staff 1000 people, in peacetime 381 people;
- communications regiment (Chisinau);
- special purpose battalion "Fulger" (Chisinau, not to be confused with the battalion of the Ministry of Internal Affairs): 321 people in peacetime, consists of a special purpose company and a parachute company.
- engineer battalion (Negresti);
- logistics battalion (Balti) - 65 people;
- security and service battalion of the Ministry of Defense (Chisinau);

Moldovan ground forces are armed with

• armored vehicles: 44 BMD-1, 9 BTR-D, 55 MT-LB armored tractors, 11 BTR-80, 91 TAB-71 (Romanian modification of the Soviet BER-60 armored personnel carrier), 43 American HMMWV jeeps.
• artillery systems: 11 MLRS "Uragan", 9 120-mm self-propelled guns 2S9 "Nona-S", 31 152-mm howitzer D-20, 21 152-mm cannon 2A36 "Giacint-B", 17 122-mm howitzers of the sample 1938 (M-30), 7 120-mm American M120 mortars and 52 American 82-mm mortars.
• anti-tank weapons system: 71 Fagot RTRC, 19 9M113 Konkurs, 27 Shturm ATGM, 138 SPG-9, 36 100-mm MT-12 anti-tank guns.
• anti-aircraft weapons of the ground forces: 26 ZU-23-2 and 26 anti-aircraft guns of 57 mm caliber S-60.

The Moldovan Air Force includes the anti-aircraft brigade "Dmitrie Cantemir" (Chisinau). It is armed with 12 S-200, 18 S-75 and 16 S-125 air defense missile launchers. Currently, only 12 S-125 anti-aircraft missile systems are combat-ready.

The Armed Forces of Moldova were created after the republic gained independence by decree of President Mircea Snegur of September 3, 1991 “On the formation of the armed forces.” The country celebrates this day as the Day of the National Army of the Republic of Moldova.

On November 14, 1991, the government of Moldova declared as its property military camps, bases, weapons, vehicles, equipment and other property belonging to units of the Soviet army stationed on the territory of the republic.

On June 5, 1995 it was adopted Military doctrine Republic of Moldova. It provides for the permanent neutrality of the country and is exclusively defensive in nature. It emphasizes the need to maintain the state's defense capability at a level that guarantees its military security, strengthening measures of mutual trust, and expanding mutually beneficial military cooperation based on the principles of respect for sovereignty, independence and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states.

Structure

The Law on National Defense, adopted on July 25, 2003, provides that in the interests of maintaining peace, strengthening international stability and security and in accordance with the obligations assumed under international treaties, the Republic of Moldova can take part in international peacekeeping operations or for humanitarian purposes .

“Military spending is about 0.4 percent of GDP, or about $30.4 million at official exchange rates.”

In times of peace and war, the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces is the President of the Republic of Moldova. The operational leadership of the troops is carried out by the Chief of the General Staff. The Minister of Defense is also the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. According to Article 11 of the Constitution, the Republic of Moldova proclaims its permanent neutrality. As the current head of the military department of Moldova, Vitalie Marinuta, states, “neutrality is not only a refusal to participate in military blocs, the absence of foreign troops on the country’s territory, the presence of an army, but also a clear understanding that one must be responsible for one’s security independently, without relying on on others. And the costs of maintaining the armed forces of a neutral country are not 0.3–0.5 percent of GDP, as we currently have, but much higher – about 1.5 percent, or even 2 percent of GDP.”

The Moldova-NATO Individual Partnership program provides, first of all, for Moldova’s commitments to democratization, development of the judicial system and scientific research. The military component itself accounts for only a small part of the costs. It concerns mainly the training of Moldovan military personnel by instructors from NATO countries. With the help of NATO instructors, the Moldovan army was one of the first in the world to get rid of anti-personnel mines.

The armed forces are staffed by conscripts and contract volunteers. The term of conscription service is 12 months. The age for conscription into the army is 18 years, for voluntary service - 17. The number of armed forces is 6.5 thousand military personnel and 2.3 thousand civilians. The number of men aged 16 to 49 years is 11,430.4 thousand, of which 875,224 are fit for service due to health reasons. Every year, 28,213 men reach military age. The number of trained reservists is about 300 thousand. In the national army, there are cases of hazing, sometimes with tragic outcomes.

Military spending is about 0.4 percent of GDP, or about $30.4 million at official exchange rates, or $50.2 million at purchasing power parity in 2012.

On June 2, 2011, the United States donated 80 units of automotive equipment worth a million dollars to the Moldavian army free of charge: tractors, dump trucks, passenger and ambulance vehicles, refrigerators, pickups, jeeps, etc.

In 2012, the United States, as part of the Global Initiative for peacekeeping operations» allocated $1.6 million to Moldova to improve the infrastructure of the military training base near the village of Bulboki.

The country's armed forces are divided into ground forces and air forces.

Ground troops

Ground troops Moldova has 5,710 people and has 209 armored vehicles and 150 guns and mortars. They consist of three infantry and one artillery brigades, one regiment and two separate battalions.

The first infantry brigade "Moldova" is stationed in Balti - 785 people. There is also a logistics support battalion - 65 people. The second infantry brigade “Stefan cel Mare” is stationed in Chisinau and consists of 915 people. Third Infantry Brigade "Dakia" - in Cahul (612 people). Artillery brigade "Prut" is located in Ungheni (381 people).

A separate engineering battalion "Codru" is located in Negresti (295 people). The separate communications regiment "Bessarabia" (250 people), the security and service battalion of the Ministry of Defense (425 people) and the separate special-purpose battalion "Fulger" are stationed in Chisinau. The Fulger battalion numbers 321 people. Consists of a special forces company and a parachute company. It is designed to carry out the following functions: destruction of enemy strategic targets, special operations, reconnaissance, counter-terrorism operations, search and rescue missions, psychological operations.

The Moldovan ground forces are armed with armored vehicles: 44 BMD-1, nine BTR-D, 55 MT-LB armored tractors, 11 BTR-80, 91 TAB-71 (Romanian modification of the Soviet BER-60 armored personnel carrier).

Artillery systems are also in service: 11 Uragan MLRS (according to some sources, prepared for disposal), nine 120-mm 2S9 Nona-S self-propelled guns, 31 152-mm D-20 gun-howitzer, 21 152-mm cannon 2A36 "Gyacinth-B", 17 122-mm howitzers of the 1938 model (M-30), seven 120-mm American M120 mortars and 52 American 82-mm mortars.

Anti-tank weapons are represented by the following systems: 71 Fagot RTRC, 19 9M113 Konkurs, 27 Shturm ATGM, 138 SPG-9, as well as 36 100-mm MT-12 anti-tank guns.

The anti-aircraft armament of the ground forces is represented by 26 ZU-23-2 and 26 anti-aircraft guns of 57 mm caliber S-60.

The training of ground forces officers is carried out at the Alexandru cel Bun military academy in Chisinau, as well as at military schools and academies of NATO countries, Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Air Force

The Air Force of the Republic of Moldova numbers 1,040 people. They consist of the Decebal airbase in Marculesti and a separate mixed aviation squadron in Chisinau, equipped only with transport aircraft. They are armed with six MiG-29s. These aircraft are expected to be sold, but they require repairs estimated at $30 million. In addition, the Air Force has two An-72, one An-26 and two An-2, as well as helicopters - eight Mi-8MTV-1 and Mi-8PS, two Mi-2.

The Moldovan Air Force includes the anti-aircraft brigade "Dmitrie Cantemir" defending Chisinau. It is armed with 12 S-200, 18 S-75 and 16 S-125 air defense missile launchers. According to some reports, only 12 S-125 anti-aircraft missile systems are currently combat-ready.

Internal troops

The Carabinieri troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Moldova are subordinate to the Carabinieri Troops Department. It numbers five thousand people. According to the law of the Republic of Moldova of December 12, 1991 “On the Carabinieri troops (internal troops) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs”, “Carabinieri troops ( internal troops) are intended to maintain, together with the police or their own forces, public order, protect the rights and fundamental freedoms of citizens, the property of the owner, and prevent violations of the law. The Carabinieri troops are a component of the armed forces and participate in defensive actions in accordance with the law."

Internal troops consist of troop commands, brigades (regiments) and territorial battalions. They have 19 armored vehicles.

The special purpose carabinieri brigade “Fulger” was created after the armed conflict in Transnistria in 1992 on the basis of the Moldovan riot police. During the conflict, the riot police lost 31 people and 260 were wounded. Currently, about a thousand people serve in Fulger, and only contract soldiers. The Fulger brigade of the Ministry of Internal Affairs should not be confused with the battalion of the same name of the Armed Forces of Moldova.

Border troops

The border troops of the Republic of Moldova number 2.4 thousand people. They are divided into Northern, Western, Southern and Eastern regional directorates with eight border commandant's offices and 65 border outposts. To patrol the river sections of the state border, two Finnish Finn Fighter boats, transferred to the Latvian Maritime Border Guard, are used.

Armed formations of Transnistria

On September 6, 1991, the Supreme Council of Transnistria adopted a resolution “On measures to protect the sovereignty and independence of the republic,” according to which the creation of the armed forces began. After the outbreak of the armed conflict, the People's Militia was created on March 17, 1992.

After Presidents Boris Yeltsin and Mircea Snegur signed an agreement “On the principles of resolving the armed conflict in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova” on July 21, 1992, the conflict was ended and the formation of a regular army of the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldavian Republic (PMR) began.

On September 3, 1992, the Concept for the construction of the Armed Forces of Transnistria was approved, and by the end of 1992 the Ministry of Defense was created. The army is led by the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff. The President of the PMR, according to the constitution, is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic.

In the PMR there is universal conscription, the term of military service is 1.5 years. The exact size of the armed forces is unknown, it is estimated from 5 to 7.5 thousand. The army is divided into brigades, and brigades into battalions.

The Transnistrian army is armed with up to 18 T-64BV tanks, 122 artillery systems (including about 40 locally produced Grad installations, 30 howitzers and cannons D-44 and MT-12, anti-aircraft S-60, ZU-23-2 , ZPU-4, KS-19), unknown number of mortars, up to 107 BTR-60, BTR-70, BRDM-2. The Transnistrian troops have Igla MANPADS, RPG-7, RPG-18, RPG-22, RPG-26 and RPG-27 grenade launchers, SPG-9 mounted anti-tank grenade launchers, Malyutka, Fagot, and Konkurs ATGMs.

The Armed Forces of Transnistria have 15 aircraft: five Mi-8 and four Mi-2 helicopters, three An-2 aircraft, one An-26 and two Yak-18.

In the PMR there is a Military Institute of the Ministry of Defense under the Pridnestrovian state university in Tiraspol. There is a Separate special-purpose battalion of the Ministry of State Security of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic “Delta” and a Separate reserve border Cossack regiment of the Ministry of State Security of the PMR.

The Operational Group of the Russian Forces is located in the PMR, numbering about 1,500 people from the 8th Motorized Rifle Brigade and the Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment. One of the battalions of the Operational Group is a peacekeeper and, according to the Yeltsin-Snegur agreement, together with the peacekeeping forces of the Republic of Moldova and the Transnistrian Moldavian Republic, controls the situation in the Transnistrian conflict zone.

In order for people to be happy, they need a strong homeland,” said Leonid of Keosky in the 5th century BC. uh..

Over the course of three articles, I tell readers about politics double standards NATO and the behind-the-scenes military policy of Moldova, which in essence is no longer Moldavian, but pure water about NATO. In this article, we will see step by step who exactly was interested in reducing the combat effectiveness of the Moldavian army and what is behind it.

Geographical location of Moldova.
Moldova is located in the extreme southwest of the East European Plain, in the second time zone, and occupies most of the interfluve of the Dniester and Prut, as well as a narrow strip of the left bank of the Dniester in its middle and lower reaches. Having no access to the sea, the country geographically gravitates towards the Black Sea region, while Moldova has access to the Danube (the length of the coastline is 600 m).
Moldova borders Ukraine to the north, east and south, and Romania to the west. The area of ​​the country is 33.7 thousand km². The territory of Moldova extends from north to south for 350 km, from west to east - 150 km. Extreme points of the country: in the north - the village of Naslavcha (48°29" N), in the south - the village of Giurgiulesti (45°28" N), in the west - the village of Kriva (26°30" E. ), in the east - the village of Palanka (30 ° 05 "E).

Population

According to estimated data, as of January 1, 2008, the population of the Republic of Moldova was 3572.7 thousand people. (without PMR and Bendery municipality). In 2007, an average of 3576.90 thousand people lived in Moldova
The population of the Republic of Moldova, according to the 2004 census, amounted to 3395.6 thousand people (census data does not take into account the population of the territories administered by the unrecognized Transnistrian Moldavian Republic). Of these, 3158.0 thousand, or 93.3% of the population, are Orthodox. The population density is 111.4 people. per km².

Armed forces of Moldova after the collapse of the USSR

On September 4, 1990, the Supreme Council of the Moldavian SSR adopted. Resolution on the suspension of the USSR Law of October 12, 1967 “On General military duty" The first stage of the formation of the National Army of Moldova as independent state There was a decree of the President of Moldova No. 193 of September 3, 1991 “On the formation of the Armed Forces.” According to the Constitution of Moldova of 1994 and the National Security Concept, the military security of the country is ensured by its armed forces.
As of July 1992, the total strength of the Moldovan armed forces is estimated at 25,000–35,000, including police officers, reservists and volunteers. After the collapse of the USSR, Moldova received 32 (according to other sources 34) MiG-29 fighters from the 86th fighter regiment of the USSR Black Sea Fleet (Marculesti airfield), which after the collapse of the USSR came under the jurisdiction of Moldova.
06/23/1992 - 1 plane was allegedly shot down during the Transnistrian conflict.
1992 - Moldova lost 1 aircraft to Romania. The price of the aircraft does not appear in the documents. According to the chairman of the special parliamentary commission, Yuri Stoykov, former high-ranking Moldovan military officials admitted that the plane was ceded “to pay off Moldova’s debts to Romania for assistance provided during the military conflict in 1992.”
1994 - 4 aircraft sold to the Republic of Yemen.
1997 - 21 aircraft (of which only six are airworthy) sold to the United States. January 17, 2005 former minister National Defense Ministry Valeriu Pasat was sentenced to 10 years in prison for selling aircraft to the United States. He was accused of losing more than $50 million to the state as a result of this deal.
Early 1994 year, the Moldovan army (only parts of the Defense Ministry) consisted of 9,800 people consisting of 3 infantry brigades, 1 artillery brigade and 1 reconnaissance battalion. In service there were, among other things, 18 122 mm and 53 152 mm towed artillery systems, 9 Non, 17 Fagots, 19 Konkursov, 27 9P149 Shturm-S, one SPG-9, 45 MT guns -12, 30 ZU-23-2 and 12 S-60. The Moldavian Air Force in 1994 consisted of 1,300 people in 1 IAP, 1 helicopter squadron and 1 zrbr. It was armed with 31 MiG-29 fighters, 8 Mi-8s, 5 military transport aircraft, including one An-72, and 25 S-125 air defense systems and 65 S-200 missiles. In 1998, more than 1.145 million people were considered fit for military service.
For 2007. number The National Army of the Republic of Moldova is estimated at 6.5 thousand military personnel and 2 thousand civilian personnel. It consists of ground forces and air force/air defense. IN combat strength available:
- 1st Motorized Infantry Brigade (Balti): in wartime 1500 people, in peacetime 785 people;
- 2nd motorized infantry brigade “Stefan cel Mare” (Chisinau): in wartime 1600 people, in peacetime 915 people;
- 3rd motorized infantry brigade “Dacia” (Cahul): in wartime 1500 people, in peacetime 612 people;
- artillery brigade “Prut” (Ungheni) according to wartime staff 1000 people, in peacetime 381 people;
- communications regiment (Chisinau);
- special purpose battalion “Fulger” (Chisinau);
- engineer battalion (Negresti);
- logistics battalion (Balti);
- security and service battalion of the Ministry of Defense (Chisinau);
The Armed Forces are armed with (2007 estimate):
- BMD-1 and vehicles based on them - more than 50;
- BTR-60 (BTR-60PB, etc.) - about 200;
- BTR-80 -11;
- BTR-D -11;
- MT-LB – more than 50;
- 2S9 "Nona-S" - 9;

152 mm D-20 howitzer guns – about 40;
- 152-mm cannon 2A36 "Gyacinth-B" - 21;
- 122-mm howitzers M-30 – 18;
- MLRS 9P140 “Hurricane” -11;
- 120-mm mortars M-120 – 60;
- 82-mm mortars of various types -79;
- 100 mm anti-tank guns MT-12 "Rapier" - 45;
- self-propelled PU 9P149 ATGM "Sturm-S" -27;
- self-propelled PU 9P148 ATGM "Konkurs" -19;
- PU ATGM "Fagot" -71;
- LNG-9 “Spear” - about 140;
- ZU-23-2 – 32;
- 57-mm anti-aircraft guns S-60 – 12;
- MANPADS "Strela2", "Strela-3" - approximately 120.
The number of personnel of the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the National Army of the Republic of Moldova is 1.05 thousand people (2007). The combat personnel includes:
- air base"Decebal" (Marculesti): approx. 450 people, 5 Mi-8 and 6 unused MiG-29 fighters. As of 2007, there were 6 MiG-29 fighters left at the Marculesti airfield. Everything is in working order.
- separate mixed aviation squadron (Chisinau): about 200 people, 5 An-2, 3 An-24 and An-26, 3 An-72, 5 PZL-104 “Vilga-35” and 1 Yak-18T, 3 Mi- 8, 4 Mi-2;
- government aviation link: passenger aircraft Tu-134 and Yak-42;
- anti-aircraft missile brigade “Dmitrie Cantemir” (covers Chisinau): 470 people, 12 S-200 air defense missile launchers, 18 S-75 air defense missile launchers, 16 S-125 air defense missile launchers.

Position for 2010
According to IISS The Military Balance data for 2010, the Ground Forces of the Republic of Moldova had the following equipment at their disposal:

The air defense troops are practically drained of blood; air defense systems have been written off by 80% due to their technical condition and service life, as well as due to the low training of missile officers and the quality of training at the Military Academy of Moldova and the Military Academies of Romania.
The same situation is observed in aviation. The lack of aircraft and the dismissal of officers with flight and combat experience led to a catastrophic situation for the unit. Flight The educational center at the Chisinau airfield, does not provide enough flight and combat practice to cadets on sports aircraft.
At the moment, the staffing level of the armed forces of Moldova fluctuates around 15 thousand people. Of these, the National Army is 6 thousand people, the border troops excluding regular SIS employees are 3,500 people, the Carabinieri Corps is 5 thousand people. Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Situations - 1,500 people. The Armed Forces also include the military-trained reserve of the National Army, border troops, the Carabinieri corps and all paramilitary forces of the Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Situations.
Mobilization resources from the reserve, numbering about 300 thousand people, cannot be considered combat-ready and prepared for mobilization, due to its dispersion across European countries and low moral and psychological state.
After the visit of the NATO Secretary General to Chisinau in January 1999, a decision was made to reduce the size of the army from 10 thousand to 6.5 thousand people.
In the future, it will be NATO that will initiate various options"military reforms" in Moldova. The leadership of the National Defense and Defense Ministry of Moldova, who thoughtlessly adopted these reform models, essentially reduced the country’s defense capability and brought the army to the brink of collapse by 2011. Such actions indicate a gross violation of the national interests and defense capability of the country, which implies criminal liability.

Personnel and officers
The hackneyed expression is that personnel decides everything. Let's consider the real and not the ceremonial state of affairs in this area. The training of officers for the National Army is carried out on a large scale at the Military College of the Ministry of Defense “Alexandru cel Bun” (currently the Military Academy). Many military personnel of Moldova are trained in military educational institutions abroad, primarily in NATO countries, these are Romania, occasionally Turkey, France, Great Britain, Germany, the USA and so on. More than 250 people were trained in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. However, due to the short-sightedness of some Moldovan politicians, at various times military personnel were subjected to purges for political reasons. Until 2000, the emphasis was on the dismissal of Soviet officers from the ranks of the Armed Forces, as carriers of Soviet military thinking, which did not fit with personnel policy NATO. After 2000, there was a wave of dismissal of officers with Western education, against the backdrop of V. Voronin’s Romanian-phobic sentiments. In both cases, this greatly affected the moral and psychological state of the officers. Starting from 1992 and up to 2010, the army practiced assigning officer ranks to former warrant officers based on clan and family members. This additionally affected the prestige of the officer rank, since people from this military class did not have sufficient military knowledge and military culture. From 1995 until 2009. young lieutenants and graduates of various educational institutions leave military service en masse (up to 80%), seeing no prospects either material or career growth. Practice has shown that graduates of Romanian educational institutions do not have professional skills to start a career. Since 2004 The institution of political police is being introduced in the army to persecute dissident officers. With change ruling class 2009 Institute of Political Police represented by the Office of Information and Analysis ( Military Intelligence MO) has changed the vector of action and continues to cleanse the morale of the officers. The Military Prosecutor's Office of Moldova also played an important role in weakening the moral and psychological state of the army. On the basis of minor offenses, many military and competent officers were repressed on trumped-up cases, while high-profile crimes by the leadership of the Ministry of Defense remain covered up to this day (the example of Minister V. Marinuts, who allowed Romanian special services into the official communication channels of the Ministry of Defense). The 2009-2010 military reform carried out by the Alliance had a catastrophic impact on the financial situation and benefits of contract military personnel. The lack of a coherent, scientifically based personnel policy determines the low moral and psychological state of officer personnel.

Contacts with NATO.

The first consultations of the Republic of Moldova with the North Atlantic Alliance took place after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on December 20, 1991 and after 1992 they have a clearly anti-Russian emphasis against the background of the Transnistrian conflict.
On January 6, 1994, the American Partnership for Peace initiative was reviewed at the highest level of the North Atlantic Alliance, and the President of the Republic of Moldova expressed personal interest in this. On March 6, 1994, in Brussels, the President of the Republic of Moldova and the Secretary General of NATO signed the Partnership for Peace agreement. In order to coordinate more effective NATO activities, on December 16, 1997, the NATO Mission in the Republic of Moldova was created.
In 1999, a project was completed to create an information network of the Academy of Sciences with NATO with the financial support of the “Information Network of the Polytechnic Community.” The Polytechnic University of Moldova received financial support from the Alliance. In June, with the support of NATO, the RENAM Association was created for educational and information purposes. Thus, scientific researchers from Moldova not only received scholarships in Italy, Canada and other countries, but also any scientific discoveries became under US control. The visit of President V. Voronin to NATO headquarters on June 28, 2001 was another step towards the signing of a new Memorandum with NATO in the field of technical support and logistics cooperation.

2002, at the intergovernmental level, a decision was made on the deployment of the US Military Intelligence Center (NSA) on the territory of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Moldova. From this moment on, not only the Armed Forces, but also the political leadership of the country falls under technical and doctrinal dependence on the United States. On October 3, 2007, the opening ceremony of the NATO Information and Documentation Center took place in Chisinau. Individual plan Actions of the Moldova-NATO partnership provide for the reform of the entire security and defense system of the country on NATO principles and the transfer of the National Army of Moldova to NATO standards by 2010.

Conclusion. The military conflict of 1992, hastily prepared by foreign advisers and thoughtlessly put into practice by Moldovan politicians, continues to influence mass consciousness population of the Republic of Moldova, determining the regression of the military institution of Moldova. Constant military reforms proposed by NATO have brought the armed forces to the brink of collapse, low combat readiness and limited functionality. The senior leadership of the Moscow Region lost feedback with military units. Units are practically unaware of the importance of the leadership of the General Staff and the Defense Ministry. Lack of a well-thought-out personnel policy in the Ministry of Defense throughout for long years led to unacceptable abuses in the education of officer personnel. The current leadership of the Moscow Region, busy with political fashion shows, has lost a sense of reality in relation to the younger officers and contract military personnel in general. The importance of social and psychological attitudes, as the basis for the cohesion of the military organism, is ignored. The thoughtless and forced adoption of foreign doctrines, without taking into account national psychological characteristics, led society as a whole to doubts about the need for the armed forces. At this stage, the Armed Forces of Moldova are not capable of fulfilling limited tasks to protect national interests and as a European military force may be ignored. (With the exception of ordinary, minor and small operations within the UN or NATO). Technologically and qualitatively, the naval armament does not provide speed of transience modern combat. The moral and psychological state of the military personnel, carabinieri, police, is low and cannot serve as a basis for conducting combat operations for more than 1 day. Mobilization resources are practically not mobilized due to political apathy. Moldova is essentially at the final stage of joining NATO. The next predicted step for Chisinau will be political statement that Moldova cannot ensure national security and democratic gains, as a result of which Chisinau asks NATO to provide the necessary defense of Moldova. In the future, it is the weak Armed Forces of Moldova that will be the main destabilizing factor in the region. It was the political class of Moldova, corrupted by the West, 1992-2011, that brought the country’s defense capability to the stage of inadequacy to national threats. It is the political class of Moldova 1992-2011 that is a destabilizing factor in the region. The emergence of a third, stable political force in Moldova, scientifically and doctrinally based, is just a matter of 2-3 years. Those who are already offering themselves in Moldova today as a third political force are mimicry not worthy of attention. Troubled times Moldova will continue until 2014. Any void that arises tends to be filled.........

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It was relatively bloodless. The majority of the population of the republics, which had recently been considered fraternal, supported the idea of ​​division into sovereign states in the hope that life would become easier, richer and more carefree. Exalted nationalists came to power in many newly formed countries, skillfully posing as adherents of democracy and so-called “Western values.”

Then the battles began, which arose in the open spaces former USSR sometimes simultaneously, sometimes with some interruption. They were vaguely called interethnic conflicts, but in terms of bloodshed they were not inferior to local wars. Calm and peaceful Moldova did not stand aside either. The leadership of the republic decided to forcefully establish unity of power without taking into account some specific features historical development countries. As a counterbalance to this military adventure, the army of Transnistria arose, in short time which became the most combat-ready in the region and successfully repelled the attack. And what is it like today, almost a quarter of a century later?

and Transnistria

Since the time of Dacia, Moldavia has not been a sovereign state. Most of the current territory belonged to royal Romania until 1940, and national education within Soviet Ukraine it had only autonomy rights. After two ultimatum notes sent by the government of the USSR, the Romanian leadership ceded all of Bessarabia, showing a certain prudence. Otherwise, the Red Army would undoubtedly have used force to expand the borders of the USSR. At the beginning of June 1940, the VII session of the USSR Supreme Council officially established it as part of a common union state. The MSSR included 6 former Romanian counties and 6 districts of the Ukrainian SSR, which previously formed the autonomous republic of the MASSR. After the war, the borders of Moldova moved, but only slightly. The national composition of the cities' population also changed significantly in the 50s - 80s; specialists and military pensioners from other regions of the USSR moved to Tiraspol and Bendery. At the decisive moment of the confrontation, many of them formed the newly formed army of Transnistria.

ninety-first year

In 1991, after gaining national independence, it became clear that a significant part of the Moldovan population dreams of reunification with Romania. This idea had a historical basis, which included the myth of the supposedly existing brotherhood between two nations, the great European one and the other, smaller one. This theory was supported by the almost complete identity of languages, the commonality of the most widely practiced religious denomination, and the similarity of many customs. However, there was something else. Elderly people remembered that in royal Romania the Moldovans were treated as some kind of creatures of a different kind, whose lot was mainly to work in the fields.

Nevertheless, the European idea captured the minds, and the Supreme Council seriously took up the issue of possible integration, without even asking whether the “older brothers” wanted to unite with the “younger ones.” All this led to the fact that the residents of Dubossary, Tiraspol and Bender expressed their disagreement with the course pursued by the ruling regime of the Republic of Moldova and created this new quasi-state entity that acquired all the attributes sovereign subject international law, which de jure is not such. In fact, the army of Transnistria (then called the Republican Guard) was created on September 24, 1991. Soon she had to fight.

War

Almost a year later, on June 19, 1992, the leadership of Moldova decided to restore territorial integrity by force. The first clashes took place in Dubossary back in March 1991; now they took place on the outskirts of Bendery. Resistance to the Moldovan police and parts of the armed forces was provided by the Transnistrian army, which in fact represents detachments of volunteer militias, on whose side were the Cossack units that arrived in the conflict region. The growth in the number of defenders was facilitated by numerous casualties among civilians and the outrages of the attacking side. The 14th Army of the Russian Federation did not take part in Transnistria, but it weapons depots were taken under control by representatives of the PMR Armed Forces. The summer war resulted in thousands of deaths on both sides and a stalemate at the front. One of the first attempts to forcibly impose “love of homeland,” then, in 1992, demonstrated the complete powerlessness of the army’s actions against the militias supported by the population. The lesson did not go well; similar “operations” continue today.

First commanders

The Republican Guard was created under the leadership of professional military men of the Soviet school, which were all the army commanders in Transnistria. The first of them was the deputy commander of the Republican Guard, Colonel S.G. Borisenko, and then Stefan Kitsak, an Afghanistan veteran who previously served in the 14th Army as deputy chief of staff. It was he who created the structure of the armed forces and carried out the first mobilization measures. In the fall of 1992, he was replaced as Minister of Defense by S. G. Khazheev, also a highly qualified officer who spent most of his life serving in the Soviet Army. Under his leadership, a reorganization of the armed forces was carried out, as a result of which the army of Transnistria became a formidable force, superior in combat capability to the main potential regional enemy, despite the fact that it is armed with outdated weapons produced in the USSR. Currently, the armed forces of Moldova, judging by their modest size and weapons, have abandoned attempts to resolve the territorial problem militarily.

Likely opponent

The Romanian army did not fight in Transnistria, but the officers of this country, as well as the volunteers who arrived, most likely provided assistance in planning the “liberation campaign.” In the years since the 1992 summer war, many officers of the Moldovan armed forces have undergone training in the Russian Federation. The result of this advanced training, however, is small, since the types of weapons actually at the disposal of the national army are long outdated. The main forge of command personnel is the Alexandru cel Bun Military Academy in Chisinau. The National Army of Moldova (NAM) includes two types of troops (ground and air force), its personnel does not exceed four and a half thousand military personnel. Organizationally, NAM is divided into three brigades:

- “Moldova” (Balti).

- “Stefan cel Mare” (Chisinau).

- “Dacia” (Cahul).

Also, the army of Moldova includes a peacekeeping battalion (22nd), through which almost everyone who has served the first six months “passes” (in total they are mobilized for a year).

There are no tanks in the Moldovan army; planes and helicopters are represented rather symbolically.

Military structure of the active PMR Armed Forces

The army of Transnistria, which numbers 7.5 thousand people, looks more impressive in all respects. Recruitment is carried out according to conscription and contract principles. Organizational structure in general it resembles the Moldavian one, with a support-regional dislocation. Brigades (divisions) are located in the four largest cities (Tiraspol, Bendery, Dubossary and Rybnitsa). Each of them has three motorized rifle battalions, which, in turn, consist of four companies. In addition, the brigade includes a mortar battery and separate platoons (engineer and communications). The total number of each division is approximately one and a half thousand military personnel.

Tanks and artillery

The source of weapons for the PMR Armed Forces were the trophies of the 1992 summer war, which the army stationed in Transnistria did not have time to withdraw. The tanks are represented by three types (T-72, T-64B and T-55), their total number is estimated at seven dozen, but in good condition, according to experts, there are no more than 18.

There is also heavy artillery, including 40 BM-21 Grad systems, three dozen guns and howitzers, as well as mortars of various calibers, Shilka self-propelled guns and self-propelled guns.

In addition to heavy types of weapons, the PMR army also has at its disposal compact weapons that have proven their effectiveness during conflicts last decades- MANPADS (“Strela”, “Igla”, “Duga”), RPG grenade launchers (7, 18, 22, 26, 27) and SPG-9. To combat armored vehicles (which Moldova practically does not have, with the exception of infantry fighting vehicles and infantry fighting vehicles), anti-tank guided missiles “Fagot”, “Malyutka” and “Konkurs” are designed.

Aviation

The fact that the PMR has its own people is reminded by parades held on public holidays, during which the Transnistrian army is demonstrated to citizens. The composition and technical fleet, however, looks quite modest. There are not many planes and helicopters in total, 29, among them the honored workers An-2 and An-26, intended for cargo and transport transportation or landing paratroopers (the Airborne Forces are also available), and the sports Yak-18.

In modern combat conditions, direct support to troops can be provided by rotary-wing vehicles, also of Soviet production, which, however, are in service with many other countries - Mi-24, Mi-8 and Mi-2.

In terms of the Air Force, Moldova formally has superiority; it has MiG-29 attack aircraft, although there are only a few of them left, especially in good condition. Most Soviet combat vehicles were sold abroad.

Reserve

There is one more important aspect, in which the armed forces of Moldova and the army of Transnistria differ significantly. The number of PMR armed forces in the event of a threat can increase more than tenfold due to the mobilization of reservists. Retraining courses for reserve officers and privates, as well as their training sessions, are held regularly, and for the most part, those liable for military service do not try to evade them, including those who hold high positions in government structures. In addition, there is a separate Cossack regiment, units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the KGB. Separate special battalions “Delta” and “Dniester” are staffed by well-trained professionals; another one, belonging to the police, is also considered elite. For comparison, the total mobilization reserve of Moldova is approaching one hundred thousand people, although the outflow of citizens from the country is very high, and it is difficult to evaluate it objectively, both quantitatively and qualitatively. There have been no gatherings and training of reservists in the country for many years.

What are Russians doing in Transnistria?

The Russian army was introduced into Transnistria in 1992 as part of a peacekeeping force. The local population greeted her as their saviors, and although soldiers of the Russian Armed Forces did not directly take part in the hostilities, Pridnestrovie owed their victory to a large extent to them. If before the collapse of the USSR the 14th Army was a super-powerful strike force, today it is almost completely deployed to the territory of the Russian Federation. The general population in Transnistria currently does not accommodate three thousand military personnel and thousands of civilians. A significant proportion of them are local residents who have taken the citizenship and oath of the Russian Federation. What do they do and what service do they perform?

Peacekeepers

The peacekeeping battalion, present in Transnistria under an OSCE mandate, consists of 335 Russian military personnel. In addition to them, joint monitoring of the situation is carried out by representatives of the armed forces of Moldova (453 people), the PMR (490 people) and observers from Ukraine (10 people).

During the entire time that has passed since the introduction of peacekeeping forces into the conflict zone, not a single case of the use of weapons has been recorded, not a single person has died.

The small number of members and its purely divisive functions serve as a serious argument against the assumptions proclaimed by Moldovan and, more recently, Ukrainian nationalists about the allegedly aggressive nature of the Russian presence in the region.

Security of warehouse No. 1411

The Russian army in Transnistria is carrying out another important task. Not far from Rybnitsa there is the village of Kolbasna, which would be an unremarkable settlement if in its vicinity there was not a monstrous ammunition depot with an area of ​​130 hectares. Here lie bombs, shells and much other military property taken from of Eastern Europe and stored from earlier times. The total weight of the explosives contained in the ammunition exceeds 20 kilotons, that is, the power is close to the “Little Boy” atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. No one knows what to do with this dangerous cargo today. Storage conditions worsen every year, the containers are often destroyed. The same number had already been rendered harmless, but times were calmer then.

The 83rd and 113th separate guards motorized rifle and the 540th control and security battalion prevent a terrible catastrophe from happening.

What's next?

Today, Transnistria is a narrow strip of land sandwiched between hostile countries, Moldova and Ukraine, which have effectively declared a blockade on the unrecognized republic. In this situation, the PMR army is in a state of high combat readiness. Apart from it, only one force is preventing another armed conflict from flaring up on the territory of the former USSR - peacekeepers. A second attempt to integrate Transnistria into Moldova could turn into a big disaster. The question of how effectively the PMR army can operate is not a priority today. The main thing is to avoid war altogether.