The United States imposed sanctions on a Russian-linked group that planned to destabilize Moldova

The United States has imposed sanctions on members of a group allegedly linked to Russian intelligence for their role in attempting to destabilize the situation in Moldova and influence the country's elections.

Source. This was reported by the BBC.

"The sanctions imposed today shed light on Russia's covert efforts to destabilize democratic states," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson.

Reportedly, seven individuals, some of whom have ties to Russian intelligence services, have been subject to the restrictions. According to the agency, the leader of the group was Konstantin Sapozhnikov, who organized a plot to destabilize the government of Moldova in early 2023.

"These actors provoked, trained and supervised groups in democratic countries that hold anti-government protests, rallies, marches and demonstrations. These malicious actors analyze countries vulnerable to exploitation and stoke fears that undermine faith in democratic principles in targeted countries," the US Treasury Department said in a statement.

The group is part of a large global information operation linked to Russia that targets primarily Ukraine and its neighboring countries, as well as the EU, the UK, and the US, the US agency said.

Some members of the group collected information on security measures in government buildings in Moldova and conducted reconnaissance on the ground, while others were involved in budgeting and financing the plot.

Background. As a reminder, Moldova's prime minister has declared that the country has completely overcome its dependence on Russian gas.