Republic of Moldova
The Republic of Moldova inherited a considerable stockpile of Soviet arms and ammunition after proclaiming independence on 27 August 1991. The newly formed security institutions lacked the organisational capabilities necessary to manage ammunition sustainably. This situation was further complicated by an adverse political context, notably marked by the internal conflict relating to the region of Transnistria, which continues to be occupied by Russia.1 Despite these challenges, in the last 30 years, the military stockpile of the Republic of Moldova has not been characterised by major cases of diversion2 or accidental explosions at its munition sites.3 Safety and security gains related to the conventional ammunition stockpile in Moldova are largely the result of national and international efforts to put in place effective processes, structures, and capability-enabling lines for safe and secure ammunition management.
1 "Moldova," Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts Project (RULAC), Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights, updated September 6, 2017, www.rulac.org/browse/countries/moldova.
2 Interview with NA during visit in May 2021.
3 “Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS) Database,” Small Arms Survey, updated December 15, 2021, https://smallarmssurvey.org/database/unplanned-explosions-munitions-sites-uems.
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Further information
Accidental explosions
No accidental explosions have been reported in Moldova.
Cases of diversion
There has only been only one reported case of diversion in Moldova.
Table 1. Cases of diversion of arms, ammunition and explosives in Moldova
| Year | Location | Description |
| 2004 | Unkown | 200 hand grenades, 31 grenade-launchers and more than 90,000 rounds of ammunition were taken from national army stocks. |
Source: "Moldovan Defense Minister Fired after Arms Thefts," RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, October 15, 2004, https://www.rferl.org/a/1055349.html.
Disposal
To decrease the above-mentioned risks of accidental explosions and diversion, Moldova has disposed of its ammunition since 2004.
Table 2. Disposal of tonnes of ammunition in Moldova (2004–19)
| Year | Tonnes of ammunition |
| 2004 | 153 |
| 2005 | 274 |
| 2006 | 364 |
| 2007 | 336 |
| 2008 | 98 |
| 2009 | 105 |
| 2010 | 144 |
| 2011 | 50 |
| 2012 | 60 |
| 2013 | 130 |
| 2014 | 80 |
| 2015 | 40 |
| 2016 | 30 |
| 2017 | 40 |
| 2018 | 60 |
| 2019 | 90 |
Source: Moldovan National Army, J4 Directorate of Logistics.
Needs
To further enhance safe and secure ammunition management, the following needs have been identified for Moldova:
- Assistance in the review of national strategies and standards on ammunition management;
- Support in the implementation of the revised national ammunition storage areas (ASA) concept;
- ASA safety and security upgrades;
- Training on the through-life management of ammunition; and
- Development of ammunition testing laboratory.
Source: Key stakeholder interviews by the GICHD's Ammunition Management Advisory Team (AMAT) during in-country visits (2021–22).
Capacities
Existing capabilities within Moldova’s Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces in the field of ammunition management allow the country to offer assistance to other states, especially in the areas indicated below:
Table 3. Areas in which Moldova could offer assistance to other states
| Types of Assistance | Ammunition storage | Ammunition processing, maintenance and repair | Ammunition accounting | Ammunition demilitarisation and disposal | Security of ammunition stockpiles | Transport of ammunition |
Through-life management assessments | ||||||
Research and technological development | ||||||
Normative development and refinement | ||||||
Training development and delivery | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Strategic advice | ||||||
Technical expert services | ||||||
Material support | ||||||
Infrastructure upgrades | ||||||
Knowledge exchange and cooperation | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Community safety and awareness raising |
Source: Key stakeholder interviews by AMAT during in-country visits (2021–22)
