The ruling party’s MPs called for “pro-active policies” to thwart the Kremlin’s objectives after investigative media in Moldova published a purported official Kremlin plot for overthrowing the pro-Western government in 2021.

Russian intelligence’s plan

After investigative media published several what appeared to be official Russian documents on how Moscow plans to maintain its influence in Chisinau and sabotage its relationship with the West, representatives of the ruling party in Moldova have denounced what they term Russia’s plans to regain control of the country.

Oazu Nantoi, a legislator with the Action and Solidarity Party (PAS), told BIRN that Moscow was placing its bets on the former president and socialist leader Igor Dodon taking back the presidency. The division and hostility toward our society are still priorities for Russia, according to Nantoi.

Journalists from RISE Moldova showed several documents from the Kremlin’s presidential administration that show Russia’s intentions to encircle Moldova by 2030.

One document, titled “Strategic Objectives of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Moldova,” was made in the fall of 2021 after the July 2021 elections, when a new pro-European majority was installed in Chisinau. The General Staff of the Russian Army and the intelligence services, the FSB (Federal Security Service), SVR(Foreign Intelligence Service), and GRU(Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation) contributed to its creation.

According to reports, the document specifies Russian strategic goals in the security, military, political, and military-technical realms.

In recent years, the political platforms of the pro-Russian parties in Chisinau and the remarks of prominent individuals, notably former president Dodon, have reflected several significant components of this strategy.

Plan details

The claimed plan calls for combating Moldova’s ties to NATO and the EU and Romania’s influence there. The statement also describes the Ilan Shor Party as a trustworthy partner. Meanwhile, the fugitive oligarch is planning for-profit anti-government demonstrations.

“We need proactive programs to strengthen society around peace and enhance our military capabilities. The perception that Moldova’s European perspective guarantees peace must be used to counterbalance Russian policy”, continued Nantoi.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, reacted on Thursday by charging “Russophobia” on the part of the Moldovan government.

He claimed that the current Moldovan administration had no justification for its unfounded animosity toward Moscow. He said, “Russia always seeks mutually beneficial and respectful ties with everyone while considering shared interests and concerns.

On February 21 in Warsaw, US Vice President Joe Biden stated that the West’s support for Moldova is unwavering. John Kirby, the coordinator for strategic communication at the US National Security Council, added this week that Moscow is looking for ways to undermine the pro-Western administration. He continued by saying that Moscow’s ultimate objective is establishing a pro-Russian administration in the nation’s capital.

To start an organized rebellion against the Moldovan government, agents in Russia, some of whom have ties to Russian intelligence, are explicitly attempting to collect and use the protests in Moldova, according to Kirby. He emphasized that the US is acting in response to Russia’s plans.

Photo: EPA-EFE/Dumitru Doru