By Iulian Ernst in Bucharest Influential Russian presidential advisor Nikolai Patrushev voiced unprecedentedly aggressive rhetoric against Moldova, saying the country may “cease to exist” in an an interview given to Komsomolskaia Pravda and broadly circulated in the Russian media.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's aide Nikolai Patrushev warned in an interview published on Tuesday that Ukraine may "cease to exist" in 2025. Patrushev, who previously served as secretary of Russia's Security Council,

Moldova's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded angrily to Kremlin adviser Nikolai Patrushev after he said Chișinău's "anti-Russian policy" could lead to Moldova either becoming part of another state or ceasing to exist entirely.

Tensions between Moldova and Russia have been growing, particularly after Moldova’s push for closer ties with Europe. Recently, a statement by Nikolai Patrushev, a close aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin,

The head of Russia's Security Council and advisor to Vladimir Putin, Nikolai Patrushev, has threatened in an interview that Moldova's "anti-Russian policy" could lead to the country "ceasing to exist.