Moldova warns of threat of Russian coup

UPDATE DAY

“Violent attacks” and “hostage taking”: Moldovan President Maia Sandu detailed on Monday Moscow's alleged plans to overthrow the pro-European power in place in Chisinau, and announced a strengthening of security measures.

“The plan calls for attacks on state buildings and hostage-taking by saboteurs with a military past camouflaged in civilian clothes,” Maia Sandu told the press.

Mentioned by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Brussels last week, this information comes from documents intercepted by the Ukrainian secret services.

Moldovan intelligence then confirmed the information without giving details, saying it had “identified activities aimed at weakening and destabilizing” this former Soviet republic of 2.6 million inhabitants located between Romania and Ukraine.

“The objective is to overthrow the constitutional order and replace the legitimate power of Chisinau with an illegitimate one,” added the head of state, in office since December 2020.

According to her , the Kremlin is counting on the “involvement of internal forces” such as the party of fugitive pro-Russian oligarch Ilan Sor, but also possible Russian, Belarusian, Serbian and Montenegrin nationals.

In this context, Maia Sandu announced a legislative project aimed at giving prosecutors and intelligence services “the necessary instruments to effectively combat national security risks”.

Moldova, a candidate since the summer 2022 on entry into the European Union, has been through crises since the start of the war in Ukraine and has been denouncing for several months “Russia's energy blackmail”, which has halved its gas deliveries.

Chisinau must also deal with the threat of Russian soldiers and a large Russian stockpile of ammunition in the pro-Russian separatist region of Transdniestria.

On Friday, the Ministry of Defense detected a projectile probably fired from the Black Sea having flown over two villages on its way to Ukraine. The Russian ambassador was summoned shortly afterwards.

“The security of citizens and the country is our main concern and we will do whatever is necessary to protect peace and public order. The Kremlin's attempts will not succeed,” concluded the president, supported in this task by a new prime minister, Dorin Recean.