A Moldovan government official said that Moldova informed several EU countries it suspected Russia would try to disrupt voting at overseas polling stations by Moldovans during the run-off presidential election on Nov. 3.
In a second round of high stakes, incumbent Maia Sandu, who is pro-Western, faces former prosecutor-general Alexandr Stoianoglo. Stoianoglo has the support of the traditionally pro-Russian Socialist Party.
Source, who spoke anonymously with Reuters, said that Moscow may target polling stations in Italy, France, Germany and Spain, Canada, Romania as well as the U.S. and Britain, using disruptive tactics such a bomb hoaxes.
“The goal is interrupting the voting process while the police evacuate and check the bomb threat.” We kindly request that procedures and protocols are followed to ensure the voting process is not interrupted,” Moldova wrote in a message sent to a European official.
Moldova, an ex-Soviet republic that gained its independence in 1991 with the breakup of the Soviet Union, has alternated over the years between pro-Western, and pro-Russian, orientations. The country’s Western orientation increased after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The law enforcement agency has accused the Russian-backed fugitive Ilan Shor, who is a fugitive oligarch, of meddling in Moldova’s election. Shor denies all wrongdoing. Moldovans living in the West tend to be pro-European, and are more likely to support Sandu who has advocated Moldova’s bid to enter the European Union by 2030.
The diaspora’s vote played a key role in helping Sandu’s team win the referendum on October 20, affirming the country’s EU ambitions which coincided with first round of elections. The source also said that Moscow was transporting Moldovans by air and bus from Azerbaijan to Belarus, Turkey and Moldova in order to boost Stoianoglo’s chances.
Officials in Moldova have warned that Russia could orchestrate disruptive activities including bomb threats at polling stations throughout Western nations during Moldova’s presidential runoff elections on Nov. 3.
Dmytro Lubinets, Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner, said on November 3 that Ukraine is still willing to receive its own citizens and blamed Russia as the reason for the slowdown in exchanges.
Officials in the United States believe that two more fake videos, which are now circulating on the internet and have been identified by the FBI as attempts to spread false information about election security, may be part of an influence campaign backed by Russia. The campaign seems to be intended to sway public opinion in advance of the presidential election on November 5.
Zelensky stated in his evening speech that “this volume of ‘Shahed” drones represents over 170,000 parts that should have been prevented from reaching Russia.” “Microchips are necessary for this terror. Microcontrollers, processors and other parts also play a role.”
On Nov. 2, Governor Serhii Lisak reported that a Russian attack damaged infrastructure near Dnipro.
Australian Defense Magazine reported Nov. 1 that Australia has provided glide bomb kits to Ukraine following the withdrawal of the Royal Australian Air Force from service.
Kyiv City military administration said that all drones that were threatening the city had been neutralized, without specifying how many drones were shot down.
“… “We face a pivot in history,” said U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. “If Ukraine falls into Putin’s boot then all of Europe will be under Putin’s shadow.”
Kadyrov stated that after the first drone attack against Russia’s North Caucasus Republic, which targeted the Russian Special Forces University (Vladimir Putin) in the Chechen City of Gudermes, on October 29, he had ordered all his commanders fighting Ukraine to “not take prisoners and destroy” Ukrainian soldier as a retribution.
Radek Sikorski, the Polish Foreign Minister, said that Kyiv can buy weapons on credit from Polish factories. He added that the loan could be repaid after the country’s rebuilding.
Herman Smetanin, Minister of Strategic Industries, said: “This cooperation will strengthen Ukraine’s defense industry and protect critical infrastructure from enemy drones.”
The Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces shot down 39 of the 71 Shahed drones and unidentified drones that Russia launched overnight. The Air Force added that 21 other drones had been “lost” and five others flew back to Russia.
“Active hostilities which continue in certain regions require constant renewal of resources of Ukrainian units,” Commander in Chief Oleksandr Sryskyi said.
According to Ukraine’s intelligence services, North Korean soldiers were equipped with 60-mm mortars and AK-12 rifles. They also received machine guns, sniper weapons, Feniks guided anti-tank missiles, as well as hand-held antitank grenade launches.
This includes 1,270 casualties that Russian forces have suffered in the last day.
Two S-400 missiles struck a police station in the early hours of Nov. 1, killing Andrii Matvienko. According to the Interior Ministry, 36 police officers, 9 civilians and 1 rescuer were injured.
Robert Shonov, an ex-employee of the U.S. Consulate in Vladivostok was arrested in 2023 on charges of passing information to the U.S. about Russia’s war against Ukraine. He was sentenced on Nov. 1 to four years, 10 months and 10 days in prison.
Two U.S.-based pollsters, hired by Georgian opposition groups, have questioned the official results of the October 26 parliamentary elections, which declared Georgian Dream the winner.
“This is a key step towards the full launch 5G in Ukraine which we plan to finish by 2030,” Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Federorov said on November 1.
Zelensky stated that if Ukraine were granted permission to use long-range Western weapons on Russian soil, it could target “every camp” where North Korean troops gather in Russia.
SPP, the state-owned gas importer in Slovakia, said: “We regularly discuss this topic with our partners. However, the information that a gas supply agreement will be signed with SPP’s participation is not true.”
“And we assure you that we will stand firmly alongside our Russian comrades until the day of victory,” said North Korean Foreign Minister Choe son Hui during her talks with Sergey Lavrov, her Russian counterpart.
Sergey Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, said that this “cannot help but surprise” given the Turkish leadership’s statements about their willingness to mediate between Ukraine & Russia.
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