ISW: Russia’s information operations in Moldova are similar to those against Ukraine on the eve of the invasion
15 February 2024 10:58
The Kremlin is conducting information operations against Moldova that are very similar to those it conducted before invading Ukraine in 2014 and 2022. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has published a report on this in its latest report, reports 
In particular, on 14 February, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the following statements about the Transnistrian conflict during his speech in the State Duma:
- The United States and the European Union control the government of Moldova;
- The West has stopped the negotiation process on the Transnistrian conflict in the 5+2 format (Russia, Ukraine, Transnistria, Moldova, OSCE, EU and the US);
- russia will “do everything” to resume the negotiation process 5 2;
- there are about 200,000 Russian citizens in Transnistria, Russia is concerned about their fate and will not allow them to become victims of another Western adventure;
- Moldova limits budget funding for regions such as Gagauzia, which oppose Moldova’s integration into the EU;
- in 2013, the West refused to give former Ukrainian President Yanukovych time to revise the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement; today, the West is putting forward similar “ultimatums” to Chisinau regarding European integration.
These accusations echo, and in some places completely coincide with, the Kremlin’s previous statements about Ukraine, such as: Ukraine refuses to comply with the Minsk agreements; Ukraine violates the rights of Russian-speaking citizens; the events on Maidan in 2014 were a coup d’état organised by the United States, etc.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has previously stated that the Moldovan authorities are trying to economically “strangle” Transnistria and are preventing a diplomatic solution to the Transnistrian conflict.
Another important point is that pro-Kremlin bloggers have started accusing Moldova of militarisation, as they did with Ukraine.
Instead, the Russian troops stationed in the unrecognised Transnistria have become more active. In late December, the Moldovan authorities accused Russia of conducting unauthorised military exercises there.
“The timing of a possible Russian hybrid operation in Moldova is unknown, but the Kremlin is creating information conditions to make it possible in the near future,”
– iSW concludes.
