Grouping of Ukraine’s troops near Moldova’s border serves defensive purposes, Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Serebrian said on Wednesday in an interview with Chisinau’s Rlive TV.

He disclaimed any rumor that the Ukrainian army may be planning to invade Moldovan territory and pointed out how the “real threat to peace in this region of Europe” is separatist Transnistria where Russian troops are stationed.

“The concentration of military forces [subordinate to Kyiv] near the Transnistrian section of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border is a preparation of the Ukrainian army for a possible attack from the Transnistrian side,” Serebrian said.

He emphasized that Ukrainian politicians repeatedly express concern that the Transnistrian region could be used by Russia to attack Odesa.

The official appealed to Moldovan citizens to be resistant to disinformation, and pointed out that the rumors being spread about a planned attack on Moldova by Ukrainian forces are false.