Russia plans to interfere in the parliamentary elections in Moldova, which are set to take place next year.
This was stated by Alexander Mustyats, head of the Information and Security Service of Moldova, in an interview with News Maker. While presenting a report on external interference, he discussed activities coordinated by the Russian government. According to Mustyats, an operational command center was established in Moscow, with the primary goal of compromising the constitutional referendum on Eurointegration and the presidential elections in Moldova.
Mustyats also noted that Russia appointed the white oligarch Ilan Shor as the leader of this "criminal group," providing him with substantial financial, media, personnel, and technical resources for manipulation efforts.
"The SIS, in collaboration with national authorities and foreign partners, promptly and immediately responded to external interference and other serious risks associated with the electoral process by undertaking various measures within its competence. We identified and halted the activities of pseudo-observers involved in monitoring the elections, prevented cyberattacks on electoral infrastructure, documented instances of voter bribery, and so on," the intelligence report states.
However, Mustyats emphasized that Russia does not plan to stop at this point and intends to apply the same strategy during the parliamentary elections in 2025. The Kremlin's goal is to gain control over the Moldovan parliament. To achieve this, Moscow will employ political and electoral corruption, misinformation, manipulation, as well as the organization of street protests and unrest.
Source: newsmaker.