Russia spent US$55 million to destabilise Moldova

Alexandru Musteață, Director of Moldova’s Security and Intelligence Service (SIS), has said that Russia has spent 1 billion lei (US$55.2 million) on destabilising the situation in Moldova.

Source: European Pravda with reference to NewsMaker

Details: Security and Intelligence Service data points to a sabotage scenario with external intervention having been prepared and implemented in Moldova, starting in the second half of 2022, to bring about the overthrowing by force of the democratic government in Moldova and the seizure of political control by criminal groups subordinate to other countries.

Quote from Musteață: "The organisers of this scenario are affiliated with entities responsible for the development and implementation of political technologies in the Russian Federation, associated with the Russian presidential administration and Russian secret services. The authors of this scenario on the territory of Moldova are members of an organised criminal group led by Ilan Șor."

Details: The SIS director explained that Șor is making use of several political parties, including the Chance party, to destabilise the situation in Moldova. 

Musteață added that Șor’s criminal group is supported by another Moldovan oligarch, Vlad Plahotniuc.

Quote: "Working with other law enforcement agencies, we have uncovered a large-scale operation aimed at influencing the electoral process, particularly through the covert financing of the Chance party's election campaign. The amount exceeded 90 million lei (about US$90 million). It was confirmed that most of the money came from abroad, particularly from Russia."

Details: Musteață also said that during the election campaign, candidates from the Chance party pledged to implement several social and infrastructure projects in which, according to the SIS, Igal/Igor Shved, a dual Russian-Israeli citizen, was involved.

"The amount of funding reported to have been transferred by the 'sponsor', Igal Shved, is €1,032,737 and US$280,000. The investigation revealed that the money in Shved's accounts in Kazakhstan came from Russia from a Moldovan and Russian citizen, Viktor Gutsulyak, who is closely associated with Ilan Șor and one of the Russian oligarchs," Musteață said.

He said the SIS had prepared a detailed report on Russia's attempts to destabilise the situation in Moldova with the help of Șor’s criminal group, which has been sent to the Central Election Commission, the National Anti-Corruption Centre and the General Prosecutor's Office.

Background:

• On 1 November, Moldovan President Maia Sandu accused Russia of "buying" voters in this weekend's local elections by injecting money into pro-Moscow political parties.
• The Moldovan Central Election Committee denied accreditation to several Russian short-term OSCE observers. Local elections in Moldova will be held on 5 November.
• In early October, Maia Sandu said that the Russian terrorist Wagner Group was behind a foiled Russian attempt to stage a coup in Moldova earlier this year.

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