On Monday, September 22nd, the Eastern European country of Moldova carried out a large-scale raid nationwide, arresting 74 individuals. The operation targeted a group suspected of planning disruptive activities, believed to be backed by Russia with the aim of pulling the country away from its pro-Western stance towards Russia.
This action took place just six days before the country’s parliamentary elections, and Moldova’s current pro-Western President, Maia Sandu, expressed concerns about Russian interference in this crucial election. Following the raid, she issued a statement accusing the Kremlin of investing “hundreds of millions of euros” to interfere with the elections.
She further alleged that the Kremlin has “accomplices within Moldova” who are willing to “betray the country for money”.
The elections are scheduled to take place on September 28th, where the allocation of 101 seats in parliament will be decided, crucial to Moldova’s direction either towards the European Union or towards Russia.
Despite its small size, Moldova’s strategic location between Ukraine and EU member Romania holds significance for both Europe and the Kremlin.
According to the Associated Press, local police stated that the raid targeted over a hundred individuals across various regions of the country. Victor Furtuna, the chief prosecutor of Moldova’s Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases, stated that authorities have arrested 74 individuals, with a maximum detention period of 72 hours.
Furtuna mentioned that many of the suspects had received “systematic training” in Serbia, ranging in age from 19 to 45 years.
Police chief Viorel Cernauteanu emphasized that the investigation focused on criminal intent rather than political groups. Some suspects were misled into believing they were participating in a pilgrimage, only later realizing they were part of “training aimed at creating chaos and disrupting stability”.
Opposition leader and pro-Russian former President Igor Dodon accused the raid of being an intimidation tactic by the ruling party, alleging that Sandu was trying to find reasons to cancel the elections due to concerns about the outcome not being favorable to her.
After the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2022, Moldova applied for EU membership and gained candidate status, leading to increasing tensions in its relationship with Russia.
The Kremlin had previously denied attempting to destabilize Moldova or interfere in its elections, although Moscow has been widely accused of multiple interferences in the country’s elections last autumn.