Russia Isn’t ‘Influencing’ Moldova’s Election

Moscow wants a base for infiltrating the EU and is fighting a multi-vector war to get it.

A woman casts her ballots for the presidential election and referendum on joining the European Union at a polling station in Bulboaca, Moldova, on Oct. 20, 2024. September 22, 2025, 6:00 AM Comment icon View Comments ( )

The Republic of Moldova, bordered in most directions by Ukraine, is having a parliamentary election this week, and the stakes are existential. In this election, the competition is not between right or left—but between a democratic, European Moldova and Russia.

The phrase “influence operations” is utterly inaccurate to describe what is happening in Moldova. It implies a gentle thumb on the scale, where malign actors spread dis

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