Prime Minister Dorin Recean stated that the Russian Federation is attempting to influence Moldova’s parliamentary elections by undermining citizens’ sovereign will and seeking control in Chisinau. In a public address, Recean outlined four main methods the Kremlin uses to destabilize the electoral process.
1. Involvement of criminal groups in mass unrest: Recean reported that Russian operatives allegedly trained young people aged 19 to 40 in Serbia, including weapons handling and tactics to break police cordons. Authorities seized weapons, batons, grenades, tents, tens of thousands of euros, and camouflage clothing during raids. The Prime Minister added that operatives attempted to recruit members of the so-called MGB from Transnistria for acts of vandalism and arson on the right bank of the Dniester.
2. Electoral corruption via the Shor network: Recean said Russia finances vote-buying for the September 28 elections, using the Shor group as an instrument. Authorities have gathered evidence, including wiretaps, prompting CNA and other institutions to initiate over 2,500 criminal cases, conduct dozens of arrests, and carry out hundreds of raids. In the last two months alone, authorities conducted 273 operations targeting electoral corruption and 310 targeting destabilization attempts.
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3. Cyberattacks: The Prime Minister warned that attacks on critical government infrastructure aim to create panic and manipulate public information. In 2025, authorities identified more than 1,000 attacks targeting border systems, airports, payment systems, digital signatures, and communications. Recean emphasized the threat of data leaks and the potential misuse of sensitive information against the state and citizens.
4. Mass information poisoning: Recean stated that Russian propaganda produces fake accounts, pages, videos, and messages daily. In the past two months, TikTok removed over 100,000 counterfeit accounts and more than 250,000 spam accounts involved in disinformation campaigns targeting Moldova.
Recean urged citizens to remain vigilant, report vote-buying attempts, provocations at polling stations, and any incidents that could disrupt voting. He called on electoral bureau members and observers to monitor the process according to procedures. He reassured that the CEC has the tools to protect votes, noting that official results are validated based on written protocols.
The Prime Minister also publicly appealed to electoral competitors, including Dodon, Ceban, Tkaciuk, and Vlah, to distance themselves from groups buying votes or linked to Kremlin influence, warning that inaction would signal their direct benefit from such schemes.