**Russian Interference in Moldova’s 2024 Elections Revealed**
A confidential report from Moldova’s Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) has exposed a massive Russian operation to influence the country’s presidential elections and referendum on EU accession. The report details a complex campaign of financial manipulation, social engineering, and disinformation tactics orchestrated by Russian intelligence.
**Sophisticated Interference Campaign**
The report reveals that Russia established an operational command center in Moscow in early 2024, controlled by the FSB and coordinated by Moldovan businessman Ilan Șor. The center’s primary objective was to compromise Moldova’s EU accession referendum and influence the presidential elections.
**Complex Network of Activists**
The operation utilized a pyramidal structure spanning from Moscow to local Moldovan communities. At its peak, the network managed 119 territorial cells across Moldova, engaging 33,000 paid activists who were tasked with building a network that eventually reached approximately 84,000 sympathizers. These activists received monthly payments of 2,000-3,000 lei.
**Financial Manipulation**
The report details various methods of moving money, including direct cash transportation from Russia to Moldova, transfers through sanctioned Russian banks, cryptocurrency platforms, and specially issued Russian payment cards. A complex system of fake donations was established to disguise illegal funding sources.
**Training Programs for Moldovan Youth**
Perhaps most concerning were the training programs organized for Moldovan youth. Camps in Moscow and Bosnia-Herzegovina provided instruction in protest tactics, crowd manipulation, and confrontation with law enforcement. Some participants received advanced training in drone operation and the creation of improvised devices.
**Media and Disinformation Campaign**
The operation managed a network of over 160 Telegram channels, more than 90 TikTok channels, 70 Facebook groups, and 43 VKontakte bots. They created convincing fake government websites to spread disinformation and invested over 138,000 EUR in social media advertising to promote anti-EU and pro-Russian narratives.
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