A bit about Moldova. I read up on the history a couple of times and am still confused. Its one of those places that has been contested forever, but until recent times was never an independent state - always part of somewhere else, mainly either Romania or Russia, with the Ottomans having it in their empire for some hundreds of years. The ancient history I won't attempt, but here are some dates from the BBC:
14th-15th Centuries - Principality of Moldova stretches roughly between Carpathian mountains and Dniester river.
16th-early 19th Century - Moldovan territory disputed by several powers with the Ottoman Empire and Russia as the main rivals.
1812 - Treaty of Bucharest grants Russia control of eastern Moldova or Bessarabia, the area between the River Prut and the west bank of the Dniester. The Ottoman Empire gains control of western Moldova.
1878 - Ottomans recognise independence of Romanian state including western Moldova.
1918 - Following the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, Bessarabia declares independence. Its parliament calls for union with Romania.
1920 - Treaty of Paris recognises union of Bessarabia with Romania. The Bolsheviks do not.
1924 - Moldovan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic established east of the Dniester River within Ukraine.
1940 - Russia annexes Bessarabia from Romania, and combines it with most of the Moldovan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic to form Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic.
1941-1945 - Romania re-establishes control after its ally naz_ Germany invades the Soviet Union until the end of World War Two, when the Soviet Union regains control.
Late 1980s - Resurgence of Moldovan nationalism in the wake of the Gorbachev reforms in the Soviet Union.
1991 - Moldova declares independence. It joins the Commonwealth of Independent States, the successor to the Soviet Union.
Up to 700 people are killed in fighting between Moldovan and Transnistrian forces following the breakaway region's unilateral declaration of independence.
1992 - Ceasefire signed and enforced by Russian troops already stationed in the breakaway region.
2006 - Transnistria referendum overwhelmingly backs independence from Moldova and a plan eventually to become part of Russia.
2014 - Moldova signs association agreement with the European Union, prompting Russia to impose import restrictions on the country's agricultural produce.
2016 - Pro-Russian candidate Igor Dodon wins first direct presidential election in 16 years.
2020 - Pro-European opposition candidate Maia Sandu is elected Moldova's first women president, defeating the incumbent pro-Russian president Igor Dodon.
I'll have more to say about Transnistria later, and there is another another 'autonomous region' to the south-west, Gagauzia, with Ottoman (Turkish) roots, but another pro-Russian mob. So confusing!
Moldova is poor today, with little industry, only agriculture and of course is in an unenviable situation with the Ukranian war and pro-Russian territories on each side of it.
I had Saturday free, and spend most of the day walking around Chisinau (pop about 800,000) and loved it. It was a warm, sunny day; music on most street corners (mainly folk music, I think), some opera being practiced in a park (with accompanying music), heaps of nice looking restaurants, and heaps of people going about shipping and relaxing in parks. As I said before, its clean, orderly and the people are friendly enough. Most buildings in the city centre are 3-5 stories and elegant-looking; some soviet blocks and only a few glass towers.
These pics going down the main drag will give you some idea.
Opera (I assume) practice in the park with some lovely music. I bought a baguette and a juice at a hole-in-the-wall and enjoyed lunch with a show.
Of course there are some soviet-era horrors, but the vibe of the place is out-going and classy.