Pro-Russian opposition in Moldova forms anti-European political bloc - Bloomberg

The bloc called Victory, associated with oligarch Ilan Shor, seeks to challenge President Maia Sandu and her pro-European government in elections to be held between October and mid-2025. The bloc's goal is to disrupt the country's planned accession to the European Union.

Shor was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Moldova for organizing a scam that stole $1 billion from the country's banking system. He is currently living in Israel, where he was born, and frequently travels to Moscow. Moldova has requested his extradition through Interpol.

Moldovan authorities have warned that the group is the main tool used by Moscow to try to destabilize the country.

"A whole country saw the traitors of the country in Moscow. They were created in Moscow, near the Kremlin, to make it clear who they work for and who they serve," Andriy Spinu, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development and a member of the ruling PAS party, said on Facebook.

According to the latest public opinion poll released in Chisinau, two parties affiliated with Shor - Chance and Renaissance - have 11.7% support. Two other parties were not included in the poll because they are too small, and the fifth, Shor, has been recognized as unconstitutional in Moldova.

Russian influence in Moldova

Pro-Russian parties control Moldova's autonomous region of Gagauzia, located between Ukraine and Romania, and hope to turn this territory into a separatist state similar to Transnistria. This creates a constant security threat to the central government in Chisinau.

Earlier, we wrote that the head of Gagauzia, Evgenia Gutsul, traveled to Moscow, where she met personally with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

By the way, Moldovan President Maia Sandu said that Russian interference is increasing as the country moves toward European integration.