Moldova detains regional leader accused of taking money from Russia

Evghenia Gutul, the head of Moldova's Gagauzia region, was detained at Chisinau airport on the evening of March 25 while attempting to leave the country, the Moldovan service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

Gutul is implicated in the illegal financing case of the banned pro-Russian Shor Party. Moldova's Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office announced that it had completed its evidence collection.

Moldovan authorities allege that she systematically brought funds from Russia into Moldova while serving as the party's secretary, working with an organized criminal group.

Gutul, elected governor of Gagauzia in July 2023 as a Shor Party candidate, has maintained ties with Moscow. She traveled to Russia in March 2024, where she met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in June.

Investigators also accuse Gutul of helping to organize anti-government protests in Chisinau in the fall of 2022. She denies the charges, calling them politically motivated.

Russia condemned the actions of the Moldovan authorities, accusing Chisinau of disregarding "the principles of political pluralism and democracy," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Human rights groups have accused Russia of systematically repressing civil society, political opposition, and free press at home.

The U.S. imposed sanctions on Gutul on June 12, 2023, for her ties to pro-Russian oligarch and politician Ilan Shor, who fled Moldova in 2019 and has been accused of attempting to destabilize the country.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu, a pro-European leader, has refused to approve Gutul as a member of the government, citing accusations of vote-buying.

Gagauzia is an autonomous territory in southern Moldova that partly borders Ukraine's Odesa Oblast. It has traditionally favored closer relations with Russia while opposing EU integration.

Chisinau has actively countered Russian influence, expelling dozens of Russian diplomats and embassy staff in July 2023 over espionage concerns.

Tensions escalated further after Chisinau said that Russian drones repeatedly violated Moldovan airspace during air raids on Ukraine, with some of the drones crashing on Moldovan territory.

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The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy