Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the elections in Moldova are not purely an internal matter, as Russia seeks to hinder the country's European choice. He emphasized that Russia wants to bring a government and president loyal to it to power, and then introduce troops.
Moldovan police discovered a warehouse of pre-election materials containing offensive statements and calls for hatred in a church. Law enforcement officers seized 11 packages of leaflets that were intended to be distributed to parishioners.
On September 28, Moldovan citizens will vote in parliamentary elections that will decide whether the country maintains its course towards the EU or leans towards Russia. Large-scale disinformation campaigns supported by the Kremlin are creating a tense situation, and President Maia Sandu is urging citizens not to succumb to manipulation.
The Ministry of Defense of Moldova and the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine denied information about alleged mass distribution of conscription notices in Chisinau. These reports were called fake, aimed at destabilizing the situation and manipulating public opinion on the eve of elections.
Russia financed trips for Moldovan Orthodox priests to Moscow and provided them with debit cards, after which the clergy created Telegram channels to influence elections in Moldova. The campaign's goal was to warn believers about integration with the EU and promote traditional Russian values.
Delays in vehicle traffic leaving Ukraine at the Shehyni-Medyka and Krakovets-Korczowa checkpoints are possible at the border with Poland. This is due to the Polish side testing the biometric data verification system and the departure of Hasidic pilgrims. Drivers are advised to choose other checkpoints.
After celebrating Rosh Hashanah, thousands of Hasidic pilgrims are leaving Ukraine, which has led to an increase in passenger traffic at the borders with Moldova and Poland. Queues have formed at a number of checkpoints, and border guards have deployed additional patrols to speed up processing.
Former leader of the Democratic Party of Moldova, Vladimir Plahotniuc, has been extradited from Greece to Chisinau. He will be placed under arrest in a solitary cell on charges of stealing a billion dollars.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez, discussing the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian front and the peace process. Sánchez confirmed political support for Ukraine, particularly on its path to EU membership, and emphasized the importance of unity between Europe and the US for achieving peace.
A citizen of Azerbaijan, suspected of selling counterfeit US dollars, has been extradited from Moldova to Ukraine. The man was part of a criminal group that produced counterfeit banknotes in Turkey and supplied them to Ukraine.
Russian propagandists claim that NATO is preparing to occupy Moldova by concentrating troops in Romania and Odesa. The NSDC Center for Countering Disinformation refutes these statements, calling them an information provocation by the Kremlin to destabilize the situation before the elections.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu called on citizens to support the European course, emphasizing that pro-Russian forces could turn the country into a springboard for Russian troops in Odesa region. She noted that Moscow spends millions on bribing voters and has accomplices in Moldova.
Moldova is restricting access to the Chisinau airport terminal from September 25 to 30. This is due to the parliamentary elections, the increase in passenger traffic due to the pilgrimage of Hasidim to Uman, and to ensure public order.
Russia has developed a multi-pronged strategy to interfere in Moldova's September 28 elections, aimed at undermining the chances of President Maia Sandu's party and removing her from power. The plan includes voter recruitment, organizing protests, disinformation, and pressuring officials.
The BBC has uncovered a secret network, funded by Russia, that is trying to undermine democratic elections in Moldova on September 28. Participants in the network were promised money for spreading pro-Russian propaganda and disinformation against the pro-European party.
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against officials of the occupation authorities of Crimea, propagandists, and pro-Russian figures from Moldova. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed three decrees enacting the decisions of the National Security and Defense Council.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed three packages of sanctions against propagandists, individuals doing business in the occupied territories, and those destabilizing Moldova. He also announced the approaching agreement on the 19th package of sanctions against Russian aggression, which will include restrictions on energy resources, shadow fleet infrastructure, and countering cryptocurrency schemes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian destabilization is expanding to new countries and directions, commenting on the violation of Estonian airspace by Russian planes. He emphasized that this is a systemic Russian campaign against Europe, NATO, and the West, which requires a systemic response.
These materials contain numerous errors, and the dates of "treatment" coincide with Sandu's official meetings in Moldova, which refutes the fake.
Ukraine supports democratic elections in the neighboring country and is ready to help Moldova move towards EU membership.
Andriy Demchenko, spokesman for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, denied reports that the father of Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian woman who died in the United States, was not allowed to leave Ukraine to attend his daughter's funeral. According to him, the father has already arrived in the United States, where he will be able to say goodbye to his daughter.
Former goalkeeper of Kyiv "Dynamo" and Donetsk "Shakhtar" Artur Rudko was detained while attempting to illegally cross the border. According to unofficial information, he is currently undergoing basic military training in one of the training centers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
A voter bribery scheme, organized through the TAITO app and financed by Russian structures of oligarch Ilan Shor, has been exposed in Moldova. People were promised large payments for participating in rallies and distributing anti-European materials, but they did not receive the money.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia was counting on a fuel crisis in Ukraine, but now it has faced a gasoline shortage itself. The head of state also noted Ukraine's resilience in providing fuel despite Russian strikes and honored the memory of fallen oil and gas industry workers, presenting awards to their families and other employees.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu stated that Russia has intensified its online disinformation campaign and is using Orthodox priests and a network of "matryoshka" bots to interfere in elections. She also noted that Russia spent funds equivalent to about 1% of Moldova's GDP on election interference last year.
Moldova has declared an employee of the Belarusian embassy persona non grata. This decision is related to the detention of a former Moldovan intelligence officer suspected of transferring secret data to the Belarusian KGB.
Poland will close its border with Belarus, including railway crossings, due to aggressive Russian-Belarusian exercises "Zapad-2025". This decision was made for national security reasons, amid growing tensions and hybrid warfare.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu stated that the country would not withstand Russian pressure without joining the EU, as the Kremlin is waging "an endless hybrid war. " Sandu emphasized that the European path is a matter of survival, not just values.
European Commissioner Marta Kos declared the irreversibility of Ukraine's path to the EU, emphasizing that membership is a guarantee of security for Ukraine and Europe. She called on the EU Council to decide on opening the first cluster of negotiations.
The special services of the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania have exposed a Belarusian spy network in Europe. Among those exposed is a former deputy head of Moldovan intelligence, who was transmitting secret information to the Belarusian KGB.
