As the world’s attention is on the situation between Russia and Ukraine, rumors claim that Moscow has sinister plans to undermine another neighbor: Moldova. This information was revealed as a result of the disclosure of covert plans that describe in detail how Moldova could become unstable. According to CNN, a group of media sites, including VSquare and Frontstory, RISE Moldova, Expressen in Sweden, the Dossier Centre for Investigative Journalism, and others, “obtained and first disclosed” the secret document. The document, which the Russian intelligence service FSB is alleged to have drafted in 2021, lays out a comprehensive strategy for carrying out the destabilization.
After making Moldova dependent on Russian supplies, Moscow is apparently going to utilize tactics including backing pro-Russian organizations, using the country’s orthodox church, and threatening to cut off natural gas supplies in order to undermine Moldova.
The Kremlin has denied having any knowledge of the covert plots to undermine Moldova
The FSB’s top-secret plans, titled “Strategic Objectives of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Moldova,” outlined a 10-year plan to subjugate the former Soviet republic.
The covert paper, which is five pages long and is broken down into short, medium, and long-term objectives, describes in great detail how to encircle Moldova with Russian influence.
The “support for Moldovan political parties promoting good relations with the Russian Federation” and the “neutralization of Republic of Moldova actions aimed at reducing the Russian military presence in Transnistria” are the two immediate goals.
The “cooperation between the Republic of Moldova and NATO” is mentioned in the medium-term aims along with opposition to “the expansionist agenda of Romania in the Republic of Moldova.”
The formation of stable pro-Russian groupings with power among Moldova’s political and economic elites as well as the development of anti-NATO sentiments are long-term objectives.
According to reports, the Kremlin has denied having any knowledge of the covert plots to undermine Moldova. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for the Kremlin, told CNN that when questioned about the FSB paper, they “know nothing of the existence of such a plot” and speculated that it might be “another fabrication.”
“I do not rule out that this is another fake. Russia has always been and remains open to building good-neighborly, mutually beneficial relations, including with Moldova,” he said, labeling Moldovan leadership’s concerns as “completely unjustified and unfounded prejudices against Moscow.”
“We are very sorry that the current leadership of Moldova is experiencing completely unjustified and unfounded prejudices against Moscow.”