Russia's covert offensive against Moldova's democratic system

In the small Eastern European nation of Moldova, the upcoming election on September 28th is shaping up to be a critical moment for the country's democratic future. The Republic of Moldova has been experiencing a series of pre-election hybrid attacks from Russia, as Moscow seeks to exert influence and potentially control the nation's political landscape.

Russia's involvement in Moldova has been evident for some time. The Kremlin supports a separatist regime of mafia-like Russian secret agents in Moldova's Transnistria region, and has stationed its own soldiers and a massive arms arsenal there, in breach of international law.

Moreover, Moldova's banks have been used by Russia as part of its "Russian Laundromat" system to distribute billions of dollars across the globe. Ilan Shor, a Moldovan-Israeli businessman, who is rumored to have orchestrated the "Billion Dollar Heist," continues to exert influence from inside Russia.

In a bid to sway the election, Russia is using a variety of tactics. Paid public protests, massive vote buying, fake news, AI-generated content, and hacker attacks are all tools in Russia's arsenal, aimed at sowing doubt in Moldova's democratic system and creating uncertainty and political chaos.

The aim of these attacks is clear: to undermine Moldova's democratic system and potentially control the country. The leaders of the pro-Russian four-party "Patriotic Bloc," who have the restoration of relations with Russia as their top priority, traveled to Moscow for consultations before registering for the September parliamentary ballot.

Russia is also increasing the number of missiles and drones that fly through Moldova's airspace, creating fear of war among Moldovans. The pro-Russian "Patriotic Bloc" is expected to stand for election in September, potentially tipping the balance of power towards pro-Russian parties.

However, Moldova's voters have shown resilience in the face of these attacks. In mid-2019, they chose the anti-corruption activist Maia Sandu to head their government, marking a step toward real democratic regime change. Sandu's Action and Solidarity Party (PAS) won an absolute majority in Moldova's 2021 parliamentary election with the promise of enacting ambitious legal and economic reforms.

Moldova's President Maia Sandu has described Russia's efforts to interfere in the election as unprecedented. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, however, dismissed accusations of massive election interference by Russia, claiming that Russia does not involve itself with the internal affairs of other nations.

Recently, the arrest of former Moldovan oligarch Vladimir Plahotniuc at the Athens airport in Greece made headlines. Moldovan authorities have sought Plahotniuc's arrest on various charges, including his suspected role in Moldova's "Billion Dollar Heist" between 2012 and 2014.

Ilan Shor, another controversial figure, was behind a vote-buying campaign during Moldova's last presidential election. Shor allegedly founded the "Victory" bloc to run in the Moldovan parliamentary election in September 2025, but its registration was canceled by the Central Electoral Commission in July 2025.

The upcoming election in Moldova on September 28th will determine whether the country remains a democratic nation or is controlled by pro-Russian parties. The stakes are high, and the world watches as Moldova navigates these challenging times.