"She is not, as far as we understand, the president of her country because, in the country itself, the majority of the population did not vote for her," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
In a victory for pro-EU factions in Moldova and beyond, incumbent President Maia Sandu defeated her challenger, Alexandr Stoianoglo, in the country's Nov. 3 presidential runoff. Sandu won on Nov. 3 by a margin of about 55.4% to 44.6%, with 99.9% of votes counted. "We proved that
With nearly 99% of votes counted, pro-EU incumbent President Maia Sandu held a 9-point lead over Alexandr Stoianoglo, according to Moldova's election commission.
Moldovan officials have warned that Russia might orchestrate disruptive activities, including potential bomb threats, at polling stations across multiple Western nations during Moldova's presidential runoff election on Nov. 3.
Moldovan presidential candidate Alexandr Stoianoglo claimed he would continue supporting Ukraine, a statement dismissed by incumbent President Maia Sandu during a presidential debate on Oct. 27.
Although Russian interference has taken many forms in Moldova since its independence in 1991, the election and referendum results on Sunday shocked many pro-European Moldovans. Despite opinion polls showing clear support for entrenching the desire for EU accession into the country's constitution, the success of the EU referendum came down
Moscow funneled a total of $39 million in a scheme led by a pro-Russian oligarch aimed at influencing election results by paying ordinary citizens to vote against closer ties with the West, the country's national police chief said on Oct. 24.
Moldovans headed to the polls on Oct. 20 to elect their next head of state and vote on the future of the country’s European Union integration. With over 99% of the votes counted on Monday, the “yes” vote edged ahead at 50.43%, while the “no” camp, which had
Moldova's referendum on joining the EU, which took place alongside elections in the country, occurred under "unprecedented interference" by Russia and its proxies, European Commission spokesperson Peter Stano said.
"The people of Moldova have spoken: our EU future will now be anchored in the constitution," Sandu said on X. "We fought fairly in an unfair fight—and we won. But the fight isn’t over. We will keep pushing for peace, prosperity, and the freedom to build our own future."
Moldova's upcoming presidential election and EU referendum on Oct. 20 are seen as critical in determining its future direction toward European Union integration.
It was not the first time that missile and drone debris have been found on Moldovan territory.
Moldovan authorities have revealed a scheme led by a pro-Russian oligarch aimed at influencing upcoming elections by paying ordinary citizens to vote against closer ties with the West.
Moldova's state-owned broadcaster reported on Sept. 28 that vandals had splashed paint across the entrance of its building in the capital, Chisinau. This incident occurred a day after police attributed similar acts to a group trained in Moscow with the aim of destabilizing the upcoming elections. "We are not afraid
The Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases said on Sept. 18 that Igor Gorgan stands "accused in the case concerning alleged espionage on behalf of Russia."
The State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) said that controversial lawmaker Artem Dmytruk illegally crossed the border in Odesa Oblast and entered Moldova.
Recent reflections on the Russo-Ukrainian peace talks in Istanbul at the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022 offer new insights and perspectives. However, they often overlook a crucial factor: Moscow’s dismal history of honoring political and security agreements with former Soviet republics. Many analyses naively assume the Kremlin
Moldova's Security and Intelligence Service is conducting a search on the premises of the Moldovan Parliament due to an investigation into a case of Russian espionage, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty's Moldovan Service reported on July 31.
Kyiv and Chisinau are discussing the possibility of returning Ukrainian draft dodgers staying in Moldova, some of whom have been granted asylum in the country, Ukraine’s ambassador Marko Shevchenko said on July 23.
The bureau said that an investigation into the excessive use of law enforcement authority had been opened regarding the border guard's actions.
According to data seen by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Moldovan service, 7,700 Ukrainian men crossed into Moldova in the first six months of 2024.
"We have surpassed the barrier of promise to delivery," Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna told the Financial Times (FT) ahead of the opening of the negotiations.
The announcement follows an agreement by EU ambassadors from last week. Officials in both Kyiv and Brussels were pushing for the June starting date before Hungary takes over from Belgium in chairing the EU.
Two residents of Kazakhstan, Altai Zhakanbayev and Meiram Karatayev, crossed the border into Moldova on June 18 and were put on an international wanted list, Ukraine's National Police said.
EU ambassadors agreed on the framework for the EU accession talks for Ukraine and Moldova, allowing talks to start on June 25, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU announced on June 14.
Czech police arrested a Moldovan man on June 14 under suspicion of involvement in the murder of a 9-year-old Ukrainian girl in Germany, who disappeared on her way to school on June 3.
The U.S., U.K., and Canada issued a joint statement on June 13, warning of Russian interference in the leadup to the Moldovan presidential election in October.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on Evghenia Gutul, the governor of Moldova's Gagauzia region, for her ties to pro-Russian oligarch and politician Ilan Shor, the U.S. Treasury announced on June 12.
The changes, which were approved by the parliament the previous week, apply some wartime treason laws to peacetime, extend punishments, and create a new category of laws for assisting a foreign state.
They are suspected of spraying a stencil of a red coffin at the foot of a building in central Paris with the words “Soldats français en Ukraine” ("French soldier in Ukraine").
Czech Minister for European Affairs Martín Dvořák has urged the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union to advance accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, according to the Czech Press Agency (CTK).
Igor Gorgan, who lost his post after pro-Western President Maia Sandu took office in 2021, continues to use his contacts in the Defense Ministry and pass sensitive information on military aid for Ukraine, the investigation said, citing accessed Telegram correspondence.
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