Moldova: key pro-Kremlin narratives in pro-Russian influence campaign targeting EU referendum

Two revelations about Russia’s attempts to influence the simultaneous presidential election and European integration referendum in Moldova on October 20 have surfaced on the eve of the vote.

Recent events in Moldova demonstrate that the Russian Federation and pro-Russian forces have placed their bets on a strategy relying on two types of networks established through significant financial infusions.

On the one hand, it is an organization of protests against the EU and European integration with a network of activists who are paid to participate, and on the other, it is a network of online news websites and Telegram channels that promote Russian propaganda and disinformation.

Moldova’s crackdown on pro-Russian propaganda networks

Moldovan journalists infiltrated the Kremlin’s network in Moldova and investigated its influence campaigns. They revealed how the fugitive pro-Russian oligarch Ilan Shor and his populist and pro-Kremlin party Pobeda organized a scheme to bribe citizens for money from Moscow and incite voters to oppose EU integration in the upcoming referendum. 

In early October, Moldovan authorities blocked the Telegram channels of pro-Russian fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, those associated with his political party, and key associates. The decision banned channels belonging to Shor, his close associate Marina Tauber, Evgenia Gutsul, the head of the autonomous region of Gagauzia, the Eurasia channel, and Gagauzinfo.MD news Telegram channels.

In a separate move, Moldova’s Information and Security Service blacklisted five websites, including Russian Yandex, Rutube, and Dzen. Moldova also prohibited the MD24 Internet TV channel websites (moldova24.online and pwa.moldova24.online), associated with the pro-Russian fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor.

In September, Moldova prohibited Russian propaganda news outlets. The blacklist includes Russia’s news agency, RIA Novosti, also under EU sanctions. The SIS said that these websites pose “national security risks” to Moldova and ordered national web communication providers to block access to five Russian websites: Ng.ru, Gazetacrimea.ru, Crimea.gov.ru, Crimea.ria.ru, Crimea24tv.ru, and Ria.ru.

Network of news outlets and telegram channels that spread Russian propaganda in Moldova

We analyzed content spread by pro-Russian influence actors in Moldova, identified key news outlets and Telegram channels, and their main narratives. 

To spread disinformation about the referendum in Moldova, pro-Russian influence actors are actively using websites from Russia-controlled and self-proclaimed Transnistria, including Tiraspol News. This website is part of a Russian propaganda network that targets all EU countries and all regions of Ukraine. These websites share identical designs and pro-Kremlin propaganda topics.

In one of its articles, Tiraspol News disseminated the false information that President Sandu is attempting to incorporate Moldova into Romania through the EU referendum (source: https://tiraspol-news.ru/politics/2022/06/08/1300.html). The propaganda website quoted Dodon, claiming that “Sandu and her external masters are deliberately destabilizing the country to justify the deployment of NATO troops on its territory.”

Social pages from unrecognized Transnistria also spread Russian propaganda on Facebook. One of the pages within the network is the News of the PMR: https://www.facebook.com/novostipmrcom.

The Panorama MD Telegram channel constantly broadcasts messages from pro-Russian politicians. The statements of Ilan Shor, the pro-Russian oligarch in exile and leader of the pro-Russian Pobeda party, who linked the referendum to a war, drew particular attention. “The West is trying to turn Moldova into another military playground, but the people of the republic have already shown that they do not want to participate in the ‘games’ of external partners,” Shor said in a video published by this Telegram channel.

The Telegram channel “Grazhdanin” (Citizen) also fueled the pro-Russian influence campaign prior to the Moldovan elections. Specifically, it disseminated false information that “the EU Law on Restitution will oblige Moldovans to transfer their property to the descendants of Romanians.” This confirms that before the referendum on EU accession, Russian actors are intimidating Moldovans with the loss of independence and land and property rights.

The Telegram channel “MOLDOVA WITH RUSSIA! SANDU IS THE WEST’S LITTER!” spreads anti-European narratives and conspiracy theories (https://t.me/s/aifmd/59120). The Transnistria Russia account regularly spreads anti-European narratives, including a statement by pro-Russian propagandist from France Emmanuel Todd, who claims that “Russia’s victory will free Europe from NATO.” Todd states that “Russia will not attack Europe because it does not want to expand, as it has 17 million square kilometers of territory.” What he fails to mention is that Putin’s regime is currently at war to seize and occupy more Ukrainian territories.

The Telegram channel “News for Gagauzia” persistently spreads Russian propaganda against the European Union, demeaning the President of the European Commission by promoting video content under the headline “The main witch of the European Union, von der Leyen, met with President Sandu.”

This Telegram channel also distributed daily publications in support of the pro-Russian party “Pobeda” and messages in support of the protest mood in Moldova. Among the biased materials were the statement that “President Sandu declared war on youth” and the publication of statements by pro-Russian oligarch Shor: “These bastards are depriving the country of the past and present and want to take away the future” (source: https://t.me/gagauznewsmd/51785).

The Telegram channel “Gagauz Republic” also joined efforts to disseminate Kremlin-style propaganda: “For 30 years, citizens of Ukraine and Moldova have sacrificed half of their population for the sake of promises to join the European Union. Was it really worth it?” (source: https://t.me/Republic_Of_GaGauZia/62519). It also ridicules Moldova’s path to the European Union and demonizes the EU in general. 

Another pro-Russian Telegram channel, Moldova-Live, continuously criticizes President Sandu and calls for voting for Vasiliy Tarlev.

Other Telegram channels that spread anti-European and pro-Russian disinformation include Antimaidan 2.0 Moldova, Evening Tiraspol, Eurasian Moldova, TOT Moldova, Tirdea channel, and the Moldovan version of the Russian state-owned Sputnik.

Our analysis shows that online media from Russia-controlled, unrecognized Transnistria, the pro-Russian autonomous region of Gagauzia, and pro-Kremlin politicians led by exiled oligarch Shor were involved in spreading Russian propaganda in Moldova and demonizing the EU. We have compiled a list of examples of anti-EU and pro-Russia publications below.

  • https://t.me/aifmd/59120
  • https://t.me/antimaidanmd/12281
  • https://t.me/disputPmrRu/30325
  • https://t.me/e_tiraspol/13714
  • https://t.me/e_tiraspol/13714
  • https://t.me/eurasiamoldova/25408
  • https://t.me/eurasiamoldova/25591
  • https://t.me/gagauznewsmd/51618
  • https://t.me/gagauznewsmd/51757
  • https://t.me/gagauznewsmd/51785
  • https://t.me/grajdaninmoldovi/40746
  • https://t.me/grajdaninmoldovi/40991
  • https://t.me/MOLDOVA_L/14560
  • https://t.me/mv6566/29773
  • https://t.me/mv6566/29818
  • https://t.me/pressmd/30988
  • https://t.me/pressmd/31588
  • https://t.me/pridnestrovec/63440
  • https://t.me/Republic_Of_GaGauZia/62519
  • https://t.me/Republic_Of_GaGauZia/62816
  • https://t.me/rusputnikmd/86303
  • https://t.me/rusputnikmd/88459
  • https://t.me/tirdea/81054
  • https://t.me/TOT_Moldova/97653
  • https://tiraspol-news.ru/politics/2022/06/08/1300.html
  • https://tiraspol-news.ru/society/2024/10/01/139402.html
  • https://www.facebook.com/novostipmrcom

Security expert from WatchDog named the goals of Russian influence operation

Andrei Curăraru, a security expert and co-founder of WatchDog.md, a think tank based in Moldova, stated in an interview with Espreso Global that Russia’s current influence operation aims to prevent the referendum or render it illegitimate.

Andrei Curăraru mentions that there are around 200 narratives used in Russian propaganda against the referendum, with the most common ones being:

  • “Moldova isn’t welcomed in the EU.”
  • “The EU is falling apart.”
  • “The EU funds will only lead to long-term debt for Moldovans, and they will be stolen.”
  • “EU integration and LGBT propaganda threaten traditional values.”

A set of Kremlin-style narratives plays on various fears in Moldovan society, such as the belief that foreigners will buy up all the land, that the referendum is a scheme for the EU to take Moldovan land, and that Western military bases will be set up in Moldova.

Impact and outcome

The Moldovan authorities detected the threat and took prompt action. Moldova not only exposed voter bribery schemes but also closed the main channels for the spread of Russian and anti-European propaganda. At the same time, Kishinev struck not only against Russian news publications but also against local actors of the Kremlin’s influence—from news sites to Telegram channels.

What are the consequences of the hybrid actions and influence of Russian forces in Moldova, aimed at altering voter opinions and demonizing the EU and European integration? Did the Moldovan authorities’ swift and decisive actions against Russian propaganda result in the desired outcomes for Chisinau? Election results and the EU referendum in a few days will tell us.

This research has been conducted by our experts in collaboration with the Ukrainian TV channel Espreso Global.

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