Moldova’s president has accused Russia of planning to use foreign agents to infiltrate her government, use the tiny nation in the war against Ukraine and stop it from joining the European Union.
Maia Sandu spoke after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week that Kyiv had uncovered a Russian intelligence plot “for the destruction of Moldova”.
Sandu, whose country borders Ukraine, has repeatedly expressed concern about Moscow’s intentions towards the former Soviet republic and about the presence of Russian troops in the breakaway Transnistria region.
Sandu alleged Moscow’s plan involves citizens of Russia, Montenegro, Belarus and Serbia entering the country to initiate protests to “change the legitimate government to an illegal government controlled by the Russian Federation”.
“The plan for the next period involves actions with the involvement of diversionists with military training, camouflaged in civilian clothes, who will undertake violent actions, attack some state buildings and even take hostages,” Sandu told reporters at a briefing.
“The purpose of these actions is to overthrow the constitutional order, to change the legitimate power from Chisinau to an illegitimate one, which would put our country at the disposal of Russia in order to stop the European integration process,” Sandu said.
