Latest news with #AlexanderNesterovschii
Al Jazeera
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Moldova expels three Russian diplomats, Moscow promises to retaliate
Moldova has ordered three Russian diplomats to leave the country after accusing their embassy of helping a pro-Kremlin lawmaker to escape imprisonment, prompting Russia to declare it will mount an 'appropriate response'. Moldova's Foreign Ministry expelled the Russian Embassy employees on Monday, stating on the messaging app Telegram that its decision was 'based on clear evidence on the conduct of activities contrary to the diplomatic status'. The move provoked an immediate response from Moscow, with Russia's Foreign Ministry announcing it would hit back, according to a report by state-run news agency RIA Novosti. The diplomatic spat arose after Moldova accused the Russian Embassy on Monday of engineering the escape of a pro-Kremlin Moldovan lawmaker to the Russian-backed breakaway Transnistria region just as he was about to be jailed over illegal political funding charges. The case of Alexander Nesterovschii is the latest in which Moldova's pro-European government has accused Russia of meddling in its political landscape, allegations that Moscow denies. Moldova's security service released footage that allegedly showed Nesterovschii entering the Russian Embassy in Chisinau on March 18, a day before a court sentenced him to 12 years in jail. The lawmaker has denied charges of illegally channelling money to a pro-Russian party associated with fugitive businessman Ilan Shor at local elections in 2023, as well as the 2024 presidential vote and a national referendum on Moldova's EU aspirations. Moldova's security service said that on the day of his sentencing, Nesterovschii was driven in a white car with diplomatic plates visible in the video to the Transnistria region, which broke away from Moldovan control in the early 1990s. In a statement, the Russian Embassy said the allegations of interference in the lawmaker's case were unfounded and unacceptable. It said it had called on the Moldovan authorities to 'refrain from provocative speculation'. Russia's Ambassador to Moldova Oleg Ozerov was cited by RIA Novosti as saying the co-chairman of the Joint Control Commission, a peacekeeping force overseeing the Transnistria region since 1992, was among the expelled diplomatic trio. Moldova holds a parliamentary election this autumn that will be a test of the popularity of the pro-EU government's course. On Monday, the foreign ministers of Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Britain and Poland, along with the European Union's top diplomat and defence commissioner, said they were ready to adopt new sanctions against Russia over 'its war of aggression' in Ukraine.
CNN
31-03-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Moldova says Russia helped pro-Moscow MP flee long jail sentence
Moldova on Monday accused Russia's embassy of engineering the escape of a pro-Kremlin lawmaker to the breakaway region of Transnistria just as he was about to be jailed over illegal political funding allegations. The case of Alexander Nesterovschii, who could not be reached for comment, is the latest in which Moldova's pro-European government has accused Russia of meddling in its political landscape. Moscow denies the allegations. In a statement, the Russian embassy said the allegations of interference in the lawmaker's case were unfounded and unacceptable. It said it had called on the Moldovan authorities to 'refrain from provocative speculation.' Moldova's security service released a video which it said showed Nesterovschii entering the embassy in Chisinau on March 18, a day before a court sentenced him to 12 years in jail. Moldova's Foreign Ministry said earlier on Monday that three Russian Embassy employees had been declared persona non grata and been told they were obliged to leave the country 'based on clear evidence on the conduct of activities contrary to their diplomatic status.' Russia's Foreign ministry said on Monday it would hit back after Moldova expelled three of its diplomats, the RIA state news agency reported. Nesterovschii was found guilty of illegally channeling money to a pro-Russian party associated with fugitive businessman Ilan Shor at local elections in 2023, as well as the 2024 presidential vote and a national referendum on Moldova's EU aspirations. Nesterovschi denied the charges, calling them politically motivated. The security service said that on the day of his sentencing he was driven in a white car with diplomatic plates that is also visible in the video to the Russian-backed Transnistria region that broke away from Moldovan control in the early 1990s. 'This type of activity is part of the mechanism of hybrid aggression directed against the Republic of Moldova,' Alexandru Musteata, director of Moldova's Security and Intelligence Service, told a briefing. Moldova's government, which is trying to lead the formerly Soviet agricultural economy into the European Union by 2030, has repeatedly accused Russia of meddling and trying to destabilize it. Moldova holds a parliamentary election this autumn that will be a test of the popularity of the pro-EU government's course. On Tuesday, Moldovan authorities said they had detained Eugenia Gutul, a pro-Russian governor of Moldova's Gagauzia region, on charges of illegal political funding as she tried to leave the country. Gutul said the charges were politically motivated. A court ruling then ordered her to be kept in custody for at least 30 days. Police say that another lawmaker, Irinna Lozovan, who is facing similar charges, is hiding from law enforcement. Lozovan also said the charges were politically motivated.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Moldova says Russia helped pro-Moscow MP flee long jail sentence
CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova on Monday accused Russia's embassy of engineering the escape of a pro-Kremlin lawmaker to the breakaway region of Transdniestria just as he was about to be jailed over illegal political funding allegations. The case of Alexander Nesterovschii, who could not be reached for comment, is the latest in which Moldova's pro-European government has accused Russia of meddling in its political landscape. Moscow denies the allegations. In a statement, the Russian embassy said the allegations of interference in the lawmaker's case were unfounded and unacceptable. It said it had called on the Moldovan authorities to "refrain from provocative speculation". Moldova's security service released a video which it said showed Nesterovschii entering the embassy in Chisinau on March 18, a day before a court sentenced him to 12 years in jail. He was found guilty of illegally channelling money to a pro-Russian party associated with fugitive businessman Ilan Shor at local elections in 2023, as well as the 2024 presidential vote and a national referendum on Moldova's EU aspirations. Nesterovschi denied the charges, calling them politically motivated. The security service said that on the day of his sentencing he was driven in a white car with diplomatic plates that is also visible in the video to the Russian-backed Transdniestria region that broke away from Moldovan control in the early 1990s. "This type of activity is part of the mechanism of hybrid aggression directed against the Republic of Moldova," Alexandru Musteata, director of Moldova's Security and Intelligence Service, told a briefing. Moldova's government, which is trying to lead the formerly Soviet agricultural economy into the European Union by 2030, has repeatedly accused Russia of meddling and trying to destabilise it. Moldova holds a parliamentary election this autumn that will be a test of the popularity of the pro-EU government's course. On Tuesday, Moldovan authorities said they had detained Eugenia Gutul, a pro-Russian governor of Moldova's Gagauzia region, on charges of illegal political funding as she tried to leave the country. Gutul said the charges were politically motivated. A court ruling then ordered her to be kept in custody for at least 30 days. Police say that another lawmaker, Irinna Lozovan, who is facing similar charges, is hiding from law enforcement. Lozovan also said the charges were politically motivated.
Reuters
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Moldova says Russia helped pro-Moscow MP flee long jail sentence
CHISINAU, March 31 (Reuters) - Moldova on Monday accused Russia's embassy of engineering the escape of a pro-Kremlin lawmaker to the breakaway region of Transdniestria just as he was about to be jailed over illegal political funding allegations. The case of Alexander Nesterovschii, who could not be reached for comment, is the latest in which Moldova's pro-European government has accused Russia of meddling in its political landscape. Moscow denies the allegations. In a statement, the Russian embassy said the allegations of interference in the lawmaker's case were unfounded and unacceptable. It said it had called on the Moldovan authorities to "refrain from provocative speculation". Moldova's security service released a video which it said showed Nesterovschii entering the embassy in Chisinau on March 18, a day before a court sentenced him to 12 years in jail. He was found guilty of illegally channelling money to a pro-Russian party associated with fugitive businessman Ilan Shor at local elections in 2023, as well as the 2024 presidential vote and a national referendum on Moldova's EU aspirations. Nesterovschi denied the charges, calling them politically motivated. The security service said that on the day of his sentencing he was driven in a white car with diplomatic plates that is also visible in the video to the Russian-backed Transdniestria region that broke away from Moldovan control in the early 1990s. "This type of activity is part of the mechanism of hybrid aggression directed against the Republic of Moldova," Alexandru Musteata, director of Moldova's Security and Intelligence Service, told a briefing. Moldova's government, which is trying to lead the formerly Soviet agricultural economy into the European Union by 2030, has repeatedly accused Russia of meddling and trying to destabilise it. Moldova holds a parliamentary election this autumn that will be a test of the popularity of the pro-EU government's course. On Tuesday, Moldovan authorities said they had detained Eugenia Gutul, a pro-Russian governor of Moldova's Gagauzia region, on charges of illegal political funding as she tried to leave the country. Gutul said the charges were politically motivated. A court ruling then ordered her to be kept in custody for at least 30 days. Police say that another lawmaker, Irinna Lozovan, who is facing similar charges, is hiding from law enforcement. Lozovan also said the charges were politically motivated.
