Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a travel warning for the Russian Federation. The decision comes in response to cases of harassment, intimidation, and abusive treatment targeting Moldovan citizens on Russian territory, the Ministry stated, stressing that such behavior reflects ”a systematic policy” by Russian authorities against Moldovan nationals, IPN reports.
Moldova’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that officers from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSS) prevented the Moldovan consul from speaking with Moldovan citizens detained and suspected of espionage.
”The statements by Russian authorities alleging that special services have affiliated Moldovan citizens with their operations are unfounded and speculative. The Ministry is closely examining several such cases. The Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in Moscow requested access for the consul to visit Russian authorities’ detainees—several Moldovan nationals—but the Russian side refused. At present, we are undertaking all necessary diplomatic efforts to provide consular assistance to Moldovan citizens,” the Ministry’s press office declared.
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On the morning of Wednesday, June 25, the FSS announced it had detained two Moldovans in Moscow, accusing them of spying for Moldova’s Intelligence and Security Service (ISS). The Russian agency claimed they were assigned to collect information and establish connections but did not specify the type of data.
In a video shared by Kremlin-affiliated outlets, two men identified themselves as Moldovan citizens, admitted to the alleged actions, and claimed that Moldovan security officers had recruited them and sent them to Moscow. They mentioned two names—Sirbu and Popescu.
The ISS has not yet commented on the information released by the Russian intelligence service.
Previously, the FSS accused other Moldovan citizens of ties with Moldovan or Ukrainian special services and alleged involvement in attacks on Russian territory. Foreign Minister Mihai Popsoi stated that such announcements were ”a smokescreen” aimed at diverting public attention amid Russia’s large-scale military operations against Ukraine.