Moldovan politician stripped of citizenship for aiding Russian army
President of Moldova Maia Sandu (photo: Getty Images)
Moldovan President Maia Sandu has revoked the citizenship of Alexander Kalinin, the leader of the pro-Russian Party of Regions and the Congress of Moldovan Diaspora in the Russian Federation, according to a presidential decree.
The basis for stripping the citizenship of the pro-Russian politician was a provision in the citizenship law related to recruitment into the armed forces of a foreign state.
Kalinin assumed the leadership of the Party of Regions in Moldova in 2016. In 2020, he collected signatures for his candidacy in the presidential elections but later withdrew from the race.
Since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kalinin has openly supported Russian aggression. On his social media and public appearances, he has often been seen in military attire adorned with the Z symbolism, which the Russian army used as identification marks during the invasion.
Sanctions against Kalinin
Earlier, the European Union imposed sanctions against Kalinin, accusing him of destabilizing public order and attempting to overthrow the government in Moldova.
Subsequently, he was also included in Canada's sanctions lists. It is noted that the sanctions were a response to the political efforts that he and his political force continue to exert to destabilize the democratically elected government of Moldova in favor of Russia.
Against the backdrop of Kalinin's activities, Sandu stated that Russia is actively trying to establish pro-Russian governance in Moldova to utilize the country's territory in the war against Ukraine, similar to how the Kremlin is already leveraging Belarus's territory.
