The Information and Security Service of Moldova has accused Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich of involvement in an attempt to disrupt the presidential elections in the country.
Points of attention
- Moldova's Information and Security Service accuses Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich of attempting to disrupt the presidential elections through voter bribery, cyberattacks, and propaganda.
- Roman Abramovich is suspected of supporting pro-Russian politician Ilan Shor, who was involved in bank fraud and obtained Russian citizenship after fleeing Moldova.
- Despite interference attempts, Moldovan citizens displayed active participation in elections and a strong inclination towards European integration, with President Maia Sandu defeating the pro-Russian candidate.
- The report alleges that Abramovich and Shor's operational center in Moscow aimed to undermine the Moldovan elections and referendum by providing financial, media, and logistical resources.
- The Victory Bloc, supported by Abramovich and Shor, was created for the elections but had its application rejected by the Central Electoral Commission of Moldova.
Moldovan intelligence services suspect Abramovich of attempting to interfere in the elections
The report submitted by Moldova's special services notes that in this way Russia was trying to interfere in the elections in Moldova.
The report provides evidence of voter bribery, attempted cyberattacks on election bodies and resources, and the spread of pro-Russian propaganda on popular social networks.
The intelligence service emphasized that an operational center was created in Moscow to undermine the referendum and elections in Moldova.
This center was headed by former pro-Russian politician from Moldova Ilan Shor, who was provided with financial, media, technical, and logistical resources.
Moldovan special services call oligarch Roman Abramovich one of Shor's key partners.
What is known about Shor's meetings with Abramovich?
The report states that in 2023, Shor met with Abramovich in France. In particular, it was Abramovich who supported the political bloc Victory, created by Shor to participate in the elections.
Legal support for the pro-Russian political force was provided by Rola Brentlin, whom SIS calls the personal assistant of the Russian billionaire.
The Victory Bloc was founded in April 2024 during a congress of Moldovan politicians in Moscow. However, in August the Central Electoral Commission of Moldova rejected its application to participate in the elections and referendum. Ilan Shor was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for bank fraud in 2017. After appealing the sentence, he was placed under house arrest, but fled Moldova in 2019. In the spring of 2024, it became known that he had received Russian citizenship.
The presidential elections in Moldova were held in two rounds, on October 20 and November 3. Incumbent President Maia Sandu defeated pro-Russian candidate Oleksandr Stoyanoglou, retaining her position. Simultaneously with the first round of the elections, a referendum on EU accession was held, which resulted in the majority of citizens supporting European integration.
