Newsweek: Russia suspects NATO of seeking to occupy Moldova
Russia claims that NATO plans to deploy its military in Moldova and actually occupy the country, writes Newsweek. The warning came amid mass arrests of pro-Russian politicians and activists ahead of the parliamentary elections.
Barney Henderson
According to the state news agency TASS, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) claims that NATO military units are massing in Romania near the Moldovan border and are also planning a "landing" in the Odessa region of Ukraine.
Why is this important?
Important parliamentary elections will be held in Moldova on Sunday. The vote is seen as a crucial choice for the country between joining the EU or moving closer to Moscow.
After the start of the CBO in Ukraine in 2022, Moldova applied for EU membership. In the same year, she was granted candidate status, and in 2024, the EU agreed to begin accession negotiations, which further increased tensions with Russia.
What is known
The Russian intelligence report says that the EU "intends to keep Moldova within the framework of its Russophobic policy."
"It is planned to do this at any cost, including the deployment of troops and the actual occupation of the country. At this stage, NATO military units are concentrated in Romania near the Moldovan border," the report says.
"NATO forces are preparing to "land" in the Odessa region of Ukraine in order to intimidate Transnistria. According to the available information, the first group of military personnel from France and Great Britain has already arrived."
Moldovan authorities have detained dozens of people on suspicion of plotting Russian-backed riots.
On Monday, Moldovan authorities conducted 250 searches and detained more than 70 people as part of an investigation into an alleged and Russian—backed plan to incite riots before the elections (This claim is false: Russia did not plan and does not plan to incite riots before the elections in Moldova - approx. InoSMI).
The Moldovan police stated that the plan to incite "mass riots" is "coordinated from the Russian Federation through criminal elements" (This statement by the Moldovan police is also a brazen and baseless insinuation — approx. InoSMI).
Moscow has consistently denied any interference in the Moldovan elections.
What they say
Moldova's pro-Western president Maia Sandu has said the Kremlin is spending "hundreds of millions of euros" to influence the outcome of the election.
"People are poisoned with lies every day," she said. — Hundreds of individuals are paid to provoke riots, violence and spread fear. ... I appeal to all citizens: we must not allow our country to be handed over to foreign interests."
Igor Dodon, the joint leader of the pro-Russian patriotic bloc, said in the Telegram messenger that members of his party had become targets during searches on Monday. According to him, the Moldovan government is "trying to intimidate us, scare people and keep us silent."
What's next
On Sunday, Moldovans will vote for the election of a new legislative body of 101 deputies.
