Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia in the Republic of Moldova has been drawing a lot of attention from the mass media. The majority of mass media define Gagauzia as a “pro-Russian territorial entity” that may contain the potential to transform into the “Second Donbas” under the aim of political destabilization of Moldova by Russia. Once Gagauzia, unlike Transnistria, has received a positive evaluation, that would not be a major obstacle to the EU integration process of Moldova. In recent years, because Bashkan（governor of Gagauzia）has several possibilities to be an executive member of the Moldovan parliament and government, some researchers have given a negative remark to Gagauzia as a “Trojan Horse” through which Russia might exercise political influence to establish pro-Russian forces in Moldova.
Keiji Sato (Wed,) studied this question.