The United States accuses Russia of attempting to destabilize and supplant Moldova’s new pro-Western government with a more Russia-friendly one.
According to local police, a plot supported by Russia to incite unrest in Moldova has been thwarted.
Officers reported that an undercover agent infiltrated groups of “diversionists” – some of whom were Russian nationals. Who were promised money to organize “mass disorder.”
Moscow has been accused of attempting to destabilize Moldova’s new pro-Western government to divert attention from its struggles in Ukraine.
Moldova is a former Soviet republic with a population of approximately 2.6 million.
Sunday marked the latest in a series of demonstrations organized by a group calling itself Movement for the People. Which is supported by Moldova’s Shor Party, which is pro-Russian.
Also demonstrators want the government to cover winter energy costs and avoid war.
Sunday, police reportedly arrested 54 protesters, including 21 juveniles, for “questionable conduct.”
The United States has accused Russia of attempting to destabilize Moldova and impose a more pro-Russian government. But claims there is no immediate military threat.
John Kirby, the White House’s national security spokesman, stated: “As Moldova continues to integrate with Europe, we believe Russia is pursuing options to weaken the Moldovan government, also most likely with the end objective of installing a more Russian-friendly administration in the Moldovan capital.
“More specifically, Russian actors, some of whom have ties to Russian intelligence, are attempting to stage protests in Moldova and use them to foment and manufacture an insurrection against the Moldovan government.”
Russia has denied allegations that it is attempting to destabilize Moldova.
The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement last month, “Such claims are completely unfounded and unsupported.”
Tensions between Moldova and Russia are not new, but they have received renewed attention since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Transnistria, a breakaway Moldovan region on the border with Ukraine, has been administered by pro-Russian separatists since 1992 and is home to a Russian military garrison.
The international community and the pro-Western administration of Moldova do not recognize the region’s independence.
“Russia has always sought to undermine pro-European governments,” said Cristian Cantir, a Moldovan associate professor of international relations at Oakland University. “It is difficult to predict how the alleged plans to overthrow Moldova’s government would play out.”
It’s difficult to determine the exact nature of the threat and the level of danger posed by some of these groups, but he believes the concerns are valid. “This is a very real concern,” he said.
