CHISINAU, June 22. /TASS/. The Russian embassy informed the authorities of Moldova that the course of the special military operation in Ukraine is being determined by the Russian Defense Ministry, and not by statements from regional structures, embassy Spokesman Anatoly Loshakov said after a visit to the Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Thursday.
"We made it clear to the Moldovan side that the course and execution of the special military operation is being defined by the Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation, and not by the statements of representatives from regional authorities," Loshakov said.
The Foreign Ministry of Moldova summoned Russian Ambassador Oleg Vasnetsov on Thursday over statements made by acting Kherson Region Governor Vladimir Saldo regarding a potential response to the shelling of the Chongar Bridge; in particular, the acting governor mentioned bridges in the Odessa Region at the border with Moldova. Commenting on Ukrainian shelling of bridges between Crimea and the Kherson Region, Saldo warned about "very serious" potential response measures, making reference to bridges in the Odessa Region and in Moldova’s Giurgiulesti, which, as he noted, used to be a part of Ukraine, but was handed over to Moldova by the "[former President Viktor] Yuschenko regime.".