President Maia Sandu accuses Russia of planning a coup to overthrow the pro-European government of Moldova.
The seas
Lock
13. feb. 2023 16:27 – Updated 13 Feb. 2023 16:28
President Maia Sandu of Moldova accuses Russia of planning to overthrow the country’s pro-European government with the help of saboteurs disguised as protesters.
The alleged plan would have included saboteurs with a military background, dressed in civilian clothes, who would carry out acts of violence, attack state institutions and take hostages, Sandu told reporters on Monday.
– Staged as protests carried out by the so-called opposition, the amateurs would try to overthrow the constitutional order and replace the legitimate government in Chisinau with an illegitimate one, she added. She did not open to questions after the statement.
Sandu’s claim comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the EU summit that Ukrainian authorities have uncovered a plan by Russian intelligence to destroy Moldova.
Moldova with its 2.6 million inhabitants is located between Romania and Ukraine. The country received status as an applicant country for the EU last summer. In the past year, there have been a number of demonstrations against the government, organized by the oligarch Ilan Shor. He was put on the US sanctions list in October due to connections to the Russian government.
In addition, the Russians must have planned to use foreigners from Russia, Belarus, Serbia and Montenegro, says Sandu.
– But the Kremlin’s attempt to bring violence to our country will not succeed, she says.
