Latest news with #EvgheniaGutul
DW
06-08-2025
- Politics
- DW
Moldova: Pro-Russian politician sentenced to jail – DW – 08/06/2025
Evghenia Gutul was found guilty of illegal party financing, with Russia denouncing the verdict as politically motivated. Moldova will head to the polls in the end of September. A court in Moldovasentenced a regional politician known for her pro-Russian views to seven years in jail on charges related to channeling money in order to finance a party authorities say is a facade for Russian election meddling. Evghenia Gutul, the governor of the autonomous region of Gagazuia, was found guilty of illegal party financing for the "Shor" party, named after exiled pro-Moscow oligarch Ilan Shor, who was previously found guilty of fraud in Moldova. Moldova, which borders Ukraine, regularly warns of Russian interference with its domestic politics. The ruling against 38-year-old Gutul comes ahead of parliamentary elections set to be held on September 28. The Kremlin labeled the verdict as politically motivated, while also accusing Moldova's pro-European government of trying to stir up views against pro-Russian views. "We see how the opposition is being clamped down in every possible way," a Kremlin spokesperson said. Gutul was last received in Russia by President Vladimir Putin in 2024. In a post on Telegram, Gutul denounced the verdict as "political reprisal" and "an attempt to intimidate the residents of Gagauzia who have the courage to vote against the ruling party's wishes." Moldova has been torn between moving closer to the West or leaning towards Russia, with the pro-EU side currently being in power. Gutul is also known as a critic of Moldova's pro-EU government. Her supporters shouted "shame" and "down with (Moldovan President) Maia Sandu" when Gutul was taken into a police view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Bloomberg
05-08-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Moldova Jails Pro-Russian Head of Autonomous Region Over Funding
A Moldovan court sentenced the head of the autonomous region of Gagauzia to seven years in prison over illegal party funding tied to a fugitive oligarch. The ruling against Evghenia Gutul comes just weeks before pivotal parliamentary elections in the eastern European nation.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
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. Read also: 'There is talk of Nord Stream' — Lavrov eyes Russia-US energy cooperation We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
