Russia Intensifies Hybrid War Against Moldova Ahead of Elections

Bot networks, fake government orders and Moscow-subordinated church priests are just some of the tools Russia has deployed in an intensified hybrid assault on Moldova before Sunday’s parliamentary elections, according to experts tracking the campaign.

“Russia has been using a varied array of tools in its hybrid war, pouring so much money into this it is difficult to keep track of the numbers,” said Eugen Muravschi, associate expert at Moldovan think tank WatchDog.md. He identified vote-buying as the most serious threat to election integrity.

The disinformation campaign has grown more sophisticated since previous elections. “More money for vote buying, more money for disinformation, more bots and so-called online activists. Crypto-currencies have become a more prominent tool compared to the last elections,” Muravschi explained.

Digital manipulation forms the backbone of Russia’s strategy. Bot networks amplify fake news, government criticism, and anti-EU narratives across social media platforms. Local influencers on Facebook and TikTok have been recruited to target politically disengaged audiences, spreading Russian messaging through seemingly authentic local voices.

One particularly effective tactic involves circulating fabricated government orders. Recent examples included fake directives requiring public institutions to display rainbow flags and schools to post LGBTQ+ informational materials. These fabrications exploit Moldova’s conservative social values, generating emotional responses that overshadow factual debate.

“Moldova is a conservative country and this is a topic that generates heated debates, where emotions are more important than arguments,” Muravschi noted.

Energy security represents another powerful lever in Russia’s influence campaign. Moscow has dangled promises of cheap gas and electricity to a population struggling with utility bills. “The illusory promise of cheap gas and electricity is very attractive for families with low income, who need to think about this month’s bills and not about the long-term development of the country,” Muravschi said.

Religious institutions have also been weaponized. The Moscow-subordinated Orthodox Church has actively spread Russian propaganda, prompting Moldova’s Central Election Commission to warn that clerical involvement in political campaigns violates national law.

Media manipulation tactics include creating fake foreign news outlets or paying legitimate Western publications to publish propaganda. These materials are then shared within Moldova, carrying the enhanced credibility of appearing to come from Western sources.

This year’s campaign represents an escalation from previous Russian efforts during Moldova’s presidential elections and 2024 referendum. “This year’s campaign is more intense and aggressive,” Muravschi observed. Russia has invested in training a network of local “infoleaders”—Moldovans paid to manage multiple social media accounts and disseminate Russian disinformation.

One notable innovation in Russia’s strategy is the promotion of “Alternativa,” a political bloc that claims to be pro-European but consists of politicians with documented ties to Russia. WatchDog.md describes this as “a political Trojan horse” designed to trick pro-European voters into supporting Moscow-aligned candidates. The tactic represents “an indirect acknowledgement by Russia that most Moldovans are pro-EU and that pro-Russian messaging alone cannot win them the elections.”

Moldovan authorities have responded firmly to these threats. Earlier this week, officials conducted 250 raids across the country, detaining 74 people as part of an investigation into an alleged Russia-backed plot to incite “mass riots” and destabilize the country before the elections. Police stated that the unrest plot was “coordinated from the Russian Federation, through criminal elements.”

Moscow’s ultimate goal, according to Muravschi, is “a loyal, obedient government in Chișinău.” He explained that “Putin’s regime does not see Moldova, or any other ex-Soviet republic for that matter, as an independent country. A pro-Russian regime in Moldova would be for Moscow a legitimate restoration of its sphere of influence.”

A Moscow-aligned Moldova could serve multiple strategic purposes: helping Russia circumvent Western sanctions, undermining diplomatic support for Ukraine, amplifying Russian influence in neighboring Romania, organizing sabotage missions in Europe, and potentially establishing a military threat to Ukraine by sending more Russian soldiers to Transnistria.

Moldovan President Maia Sandu has framed EU accession as “a matter of survival” for her country, describing Russia as “the greatest threat we face.” She has warned that Moscow’s ambitions extend beyond Moldova’s borders: “Europe is the target” for Russian interference and hybrid warfare, Sandu emphasized. “The Kremlin’s goal is clear: turn us into a launchpad for hybrid attacks on the European Union.”