In Moldova, where presidential elections and a referendum on the country's accession to the European Union will be held on October 20, more and more people are receiving fake messages in messengers, the authors of which are trying to manipulate public opinion.
Points of attention
- Increasing instances of fake messages in messengers are aimed at manipulating public opinion in Moldova before the elections and referendum.
- The Moldovan government recommends citizens to block senders and report fake messages to prevent the dissemination of misinformation.
- The Kremlin is actively working to promote its allies to power in Moldova to maintain influence and keep the country within its sphere.
- Moldova's aspirations to join the EU by 2030 are met with challenges from Russian interference, leading to the establishment of a strategic communications center to combat disinformation.
- Citizens are urged to remain vigilant and discerning, especially in the face of foreign attempts to sway public sentiment through deceptive messages.
Voters in Moldova receive fake messages
More and more people are receiving suspicious messages on WhatsApp and other platforms. Some apparently come from Indonesia, but they are about our country. These messages are trying to manipulate public opinion about the referendum and elections, the Information Technology and Cyber Security Service said in a statement.
The department recommended citizens who received such messages to block the sender, mark them as spam or complain about the message.
On October 20, Moldova will hold presidential elections and a referendum on European integration.
The Kremlin will promote its people to power in Moldova
As Kristina Gerasimov emphasized, Russia views the pro-Kremlin government in Moldova as a strong lever of influence in the conflict against Ukraine.
The stakes in Moldova are quite high for Russia — they want to keep Moldova in the gray zone, Gerasimov said.
Moldova aims to join the EU by 2030. The country is counting on Western support in the fight against Russian interference, including through a new strategic communications center aimed at combating disinformation.
