The Russian authorities forced the migration of Romanians (Moldovans) to other provinces of the Russian Empire (especially in Kuban, Kazakhstan and Siberia), while foreign ethnic groups (especially Russians and Ukrainians, called in the 19th century "Little Russians") were encouraged to settle here.
After the Soviet occupation of Bessarabia in 1940, Romanians went to deja vu, they came again in colonial power of Russians.