Residents of Bessarabia have changed their traditional pro-Russian vector to pro-Ukrainian - The Economist explains the reasons

The British edition of The Economist told about the political mood of the Bessarabia region, UNN reports.

Details

Initially, the inhabitants of Bessarabia counted on Russia, but after the invasion of Ukraine, they completely changed their vector, the publication states.

"The region (Bessarabia - ed.) was poor, and for historical and economic reasons, many people thought that Vladimir Putin could be their savior.

But Russia's attempts to create problems on this strategic Ukrainian border have failed. Ukrainian forces prevented Russian special forces from attempting to land at the start of a full-scale invasion in 2022, and security services arrested dozens of agents. Although the Russians damaged and closed one of the two bridges linking Bessarabia to the rest of the country, they failed to close the other," The Economist reminds.

Today, Bessarabia is thriving: there is a ferry service connecting the region with Romania and the rest of Europe, wine tourism is developing, and the quality of roads has improved significantly.

Pro-Russian sentiment there declined after 2014 and "collapsed" after the Russian invasion in February 2022, The Economist writes, citing Oleh Kiper, head of the Odesa regional administration.

"One of the reasons, he said, is that thanks to France's help, 'Russian satellite TV propaganda' has been blocked there since 2015.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Bessarabia has become a vital artery of Ukraine. Every day, hundreds of trucks loaded with grain and other goods pass through here. They deliver vital goods for export to the Danube ports of Izmail and Reni," the newspaper writes.

According to Kiper, in 2023, cargo transshipment in the Odesa region increased by 15%, exceeding 50 million tons. These were mainly exports of agricultural products to countries such as Egypt, China, the United States, Tunisia, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Romania, Algeria, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Pakistan, and Belgium. Despite Russia's attempts to destroy the port infrastructure, Odesa region remains resilient and continues to supply food to the world, states Kiper.