The president of Moldova has accused Russia of plotting to infiltrate her administration with foreign spies, use her country in its conflict against Ukraine, and prevent it from joining the European Union.
Maia Sandu commented on Monday, a week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated Kyiv had revealed a Russian intelligence plot “to destroy Moldova.”
Sandu, whose country borders Ukraine, has often expressed alarm regarding Moscow’s intentions towards the former Soviet republic and the presence of Russian forces in the breakaway area of Transnistria.
Sandu said that Russian, Montenegrin, Belarusian, and Serbian nationals will enter the country to organise protests to “replace the legitimate administration with one controlled by the Russian Federation.”
“The strategy for the following period includes operations with military-trained diversionists disguised in civilian clothes who will engage in violent actions, attack some state structures, and even take hostages,” Sandu told reporters at a briefing.
“The objective of these activities is to topple the constitutional order, change Chisinau’s lawful power to an illegitimate one, and put our country at the disposal of Russia in order to halt the European integration process,” Sandu added.
“Attempts by the Kremlin to incite unrest in Moldova will fail,” she warned. “Our first objective is the protection of civilians and the state. Our objective is peace and order in the nation.”
Russian officials did not respond immediately to Sandu’s allegations.
Russia denied trying to intervene in Moldova last year after Transnistrian authorities reported a series of attacks against them.
Moldova, a nation of 2.6 million people, has endeavoured to build deeper connections with its Western allies since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nearly a year ago. It was given candidate status for the European Union on the same day as Ukraine, in June.