Latest news with #Moldovan
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Putin Fear? Moldova Issues Strong Denial After Deadly Russian Strike
Tensions rise as Moldova strongly denies explosive reports alleging that its soldiers were secretly sent to fight in Ukraine. The Moldovan Defence Ministry has called the claims 'a gross lie,' saying they are aimed at manipulating public opinion and discrediting the military. The controversy comes after Russian media and local reports suggested that four Moldovan troops were killed in a June 22 strike near Kherson. Read More
Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- Straits Times
EU council sanctions individuals, entities responsible for destabilising Moldova
BRUSSELS - The European Council said in a statement on Tuesday that it had imposed sanctions on seven individuals and three entities "responsible for actions aimed at destabilising" Moldova, whose leaders are bidding to join the EU by 2030. A statement by the Council said those targeted were close associates of Ilan Shor, a fugitive business magnate sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison in connection with the 2014 disappearance of $1 billion from the Moldovan banking system. Shor lives in Russia, where he oversees the activities of the pro-Russian "Victory" bloc, accused by Moldovan authorities of illegally financing electoral activities in Moldova, which lies between Ukraine and Romania. The bloc was barred by the courts from participating in last year's Moldovan presidential election and referendum on Moldova's drive to join the European Union. Its leaders are barred from entering the EU and are subject to an asset freeze under the directive. The EU statement said some of the people listed "have been actively involved in vote buying schemes, in the context of the presidential elections and of the constitutional referendum on EU accession of 2024, and bribery to corrupt several politicians". Victoria Furtuna, leader of the Moldova Mare party and subject to the order, vowed to mount a legal challenge, saying groups in Brussels were "shamelessly and openly ...choosing on their own who is going to run our sovereign state". Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Las Vegas Sands' new development part of S'pore's broader, more ambitious transformation: PM Wong Singapore Economic headwinds do not dampen outlook for new Marina Bay development: Las Vegas Sands president Business MAS records net profit of $19.7 billion, fuelled by investment gains Singapore Man charged with attempted murder of woman at Kallang Wave Mall Singapore CDL's long-time director Philip Yeo to depart after boardroom feud Singapore Ex-cleaner jailed over safety lapses linked to guard's death near 1-Altitude rooftop bar Life The Violinist, Singapore's first animated historical film, set for August 2026 release Singapore 'Nobody deserves to be alone': Why Mummy and Acha have fostered over 20 children in the past 22 years Two others on the list are pro-Russian lawmakers who have disappeared after being convicted on corruption charges. Pro-European President Maia Sandu, who has accused the Kremlin of trying to subvert her country, won re-election last year by a slim margin and a referendum endorsing her EU membership campaign also passed only narrowly. Moldovan police last year accused Shor of funnelling large sums illegally to voters ahead of the polls and Sandu said the vote-buying scheme had influenced the outcome of the votes. A poll published on Tuesday credited Sandu's Party of Action and Solidarity with 27.4% of voting intentions ahead of a September parliamentary election, compared to 10.4% for the pro-Russian opposition Socialists and 6.2% for the Victory bloc. REUTERS
Euractiv
a day ago
- Politics
- Euractiv
Brussels amps up fight against Russian disinformation in Moldova
The Commission is ramping up its efforts to fight Russian disinformation by supporting a new fact-checking and disinformation hub in Moldova, as well as coordinating with Moldovan authorities before the country holds parliamentary elections in September. Moldova, which has been eyeing EU membership since 2022, is a prime target for Russian disinformation threats, with part of the country being Russian-speaking. Moscow's info-ops there have also dialled up since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Now, with elections looming, concerns are growing over fresh attempts at Russian interference. The EU certainly does not want to see any repeat of the events that tainted Moldova's presidential elections and a referendum on EU accession last year. Moscow-backed disinformation campaigns were accused of targeting democratic processes, while local police warned of a vast vote-buying scheme involving a Russian-backed fugitive oligarch. This is why the EU is taking steps to learn from past mistakes – including parachuting in its Tech Commissioner, Henna Virkkunen, who will liaise with Moldovan authorities in person on Tuesday. The EU's executive has also announced a new fact-checking hub, called FACT, with the goal of being able to identify and track disinformation threats more rapidly. The hub, coordinated under the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO), is a multi-country initiative led by Context Romania, an independent media start-up. "We aim to address disinformation challenges by integrating cross-border investigative journalism, AI-assisted fact-checking, and targeted media literacy initiatives," Mădălina Voinea from Contexte told Euractiv. Moscow's 'lab' for testing disinformation Moldova is often seen as a testing ground for Russian disinformation campaigns, according to Elena Calistru, who runs Funky Citizens, a civil society organisation working on disinformation in Moldova and Romania. This can include Russia testing "strategies, tactics and narratives," she added. Funky Citizens worked on monitoring disinformation threats during elections in both countries last year. Given the close linguistic and cultural ties – Romanian is the official language in both Romania and Moldova – disinformation narratives often cross borders. The 2024 Romanian elections were annulled due to suspicions of Russian interference. Calistru explained that similar strategies had first been observed in Moldova. The biggest threats, she said, came from coordinated campaigns aimed at eroding trust in Moldova's democratic institutions and the EU referendum held last year. Voinea noted that challenges to Moldova's democracy are becoming "increasingly sophisticated". "We're observing heightened external pressure and a strategic blend of destabilisation tactics, from amplifying internal divisions to more direct forms of interference," she said. One prominent tactic, according to Calistru, was the use of fake news ecosystems – referred to as the 'matrioshka strategy' – deployed in Moldova last year. Other threats included political corruption involving leaders allegedly paid by Russia, orchestrated provocations or violence, and fake pro-EU or nationalist parties reportedly financed by Russia, she added. Stress test In June, a so-called 'stress test' organised by the Commission together with the Moldovan government took place. These exercises, which can also be run under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), simulate digital hybrid threats to test how well major platforms can respond. In the case of Moldova – where the DSA does not apply – Meta, Google, TikTok and Microsoft voluntarily participated in the simulation alongside fact-checkers, civil society groups and government officials to prepare for the September elections. FACT's overarching goal is to focus on countering Russian propaganda and anti-Ukraine narratives, Voinea said. The current focus is on building local partnerships, mapping actors and threats, using AI monitoring tools, and flagging early warning signals. Funky Citizens is also developing a "live monitoring system with a human-in-the-loop approach" to identify disinformation narratives and actors online. The hope among fact-checkers and civil society is that such initiatives – including Commission-led stress tests – will improve responsiveness so that disinformation campaigns can be flagged to major social media platforms immediately. If falsehoods can be intercepted early, they are less likely to have a corrosive impact on democratic processes. (nl, aw)
United News of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Russia's foreign intelligence service says NATO wants to involve Moldova to counter Moscow
Moscow, July 14 (UNI) The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has alleged that NATO countries are actively preparing to involve Moldova in a potential armed conflict with Russia, to use it as yet another bastion in the bloc's efforts to counter Moscow's ongoing military advance into Kyiv. "The press office of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service reports that, according to information received by the SVR, NATO is actively preparing to engage Moldova in a probable armed conflict with Russia. A decision has been made in Brussels to speed up the transformation of the country into the 'forward outpost of the alliance on the eastern flank, taking into account the advancement of Russian forces in Ukraine,'" the statement read, reports RIA Novosti. The SVR report further alleged that NATO is working to make Moldovan territory suitable for the rapid deployment of alliance troops to Russian borders. "NATO forces are intensively turning what was once a peaceful agricultural republic into a military testing ground. Moldova's territory is being made suitable for the operational redeployment of NATO troops to Russian borders. 'Projects are underway to switch to European railway standards and increase the capacity of bridges. Logistic hubs, large warehouses, and areas for concentrating military equipment are being built. 'The Marculesti and Balti airfields, located near Ukraine, are being modernised with a focus on enabling the reception of a significant number of combat and military transport aircraft," the statement said. Accusing the Western bloc of wanting to use Moldovans as "cannon fodder" in the event of armed actions against the Russia, the SVR report further alleged that NATO is forcing Chisinau to change its military doctrine, and adhere to the bloc's own concepts of warfare. The Moldovan army is being flooded with military instructors from the bloc's countries, and specialised training centres are being set up. Chisinau instead expects NATO to support the pro-presidential Action and Solidarity party in the upcoming parliamentary elections. In case of victory, Maia Sandu has promised to cancel the country's neutral status. Despite maintaining neutrality, the relationship between Moscow and Chisinau has deteriorated considerably after President Maia Sandu took office in 2020, due to her more pro-European policy, and looking at Russia as potential threat. UNI ANV SSP
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Russia Says Moldovan Fighters Killed In Kherson Bombing; EU Nation Calls Claim 'FALSE'
/ Jul 14, 2025, 02:24PM IST Reports have emerged claiming that a Russian precision strike in Ukraine killed four Moldovan mercenaries near Davydov Brod in the Russian-occupied Kherson region. A video shared by RT allegedly shows the attack targeting a Ukrainian training ground. Telegram channels stated the fighters were trained under a secret arrangement between Moldovan President Maia Sandu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, Moldova's Ministry of Defense has strongly denied the reports, calling them false, manipulative, and aimed at discrediting the Moldovan National Army. No independent evidence has surfaced to verify the claims.#Moldova #ukraine #russia #Kherzon #Mercenaries #UkraineWar #Sandu #zelensky #RussiaUkraineConflict #MoldovanArmy #WarInUkraine #MilitaryNews #DefenseMinistry
