Exposing a Russian-Backed Campaign to Disrupt Moldova's Elections

Mon Sep 29 2025 00:24:38 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

A BBC investigation reveals a covert Russian-funded network aiming to manipulate Moldova's parliamentary elections through disinformation and clandestine polling.

An undercover operation by the BBC has unearthed a secret network funded by Russia, orchestrating efforts to undermine democratic elections in Moldova ahead of the upcoming parliamentary vote on September 28. The investigation highlights payments to participants for spreading pro-Russian propaganda, conducting illegal polls, and spreading disinformation about the ruling party's integrity. The revelations point to connections with fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor and a non-profit organization sanctioned for previous electoral interference. The investigation raises alarms over the influence of social media in political arenas and the ongoing battle against disinformation.

A secret Russian-funded network is attempting to disrupt upcoming democratic elections in an eastern European state, the BBC has found.

Using an undercover reporter, the network was discovered promising financial compensation to participants for posting pro-Russian propaganda and fake news aimed at undermining Moldova's pro-EU ruling party ahead of the country's parliamentary ballot set for September 28.

Participants were paid to locate supporters of Moldova's pro-Russia opposition for covert recording and executing a fraudulent poll under the guise of a nonexistent organization, thereby breaching legal regulations. An organizer suggested that the resultant data could be leveraged to cast doubt on the election outcome.

Preliminary results of this illegitimate poll, indicating a possible defeat for the ruling party, have already surfaced online, despite official polls indicating the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS) is leading over the pro-Russian Patriotic Electoral Bloc (BEP).

Connections have been established between this hidden network and Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor, who has been sanctioned by the US for orchestrating malign influence operations and is currently a fugitive in Russia. The UK has also sanctioned him for corruption.

Notable links were also found between the network and the NGO Evrazia, associated with Ilan Shor, which was previously sanctioned by the US, UK, and EU for bribing Moldovan citizens to oppose EU membership, a referendum that passed by a narrow margin.

Moldova's chief of police, Viorel Cernauteanu, highlighted in the BBC World Service that the focal point of Shor's campaign has shifted toward disinformation this year.

The BBC approached Ilan Shor and Evrazia for comment regarding these findings, but no responses were received.

The investigation revealed the disinformation network's operations through Telegram, uncovering training modules that instructed recruits on how to create social media posts designed to deceive the public.

Initially, recruits were asked to share patriotic posts, but as the election drew nearer, the content became increasingly politically charged, with participants instructed to disseminate hard-hitting falsehoods about Moldova's leadership and agenda.

Social media plays a crucial role in electoral campaigns, and analysis revealed that the network comprised at least 90 TikTok accounts, accumulating millions of views and likes while spreading disinformation.

The findings underscore a concerning trend of anti-democratic practices facilitated by covert networks that threaten the integrity of elections in Moldova.

In light of the upcoming elections, TikTok and Facebook have reiterated their commitments to counter deceptive behavior, though responses from the respective platforms have yet to be fully disclosed.

The Russian embassy in the UK dismissed allegations of involvement in electoral interference, claiming that it is the EU, not Russia, which is meddling in Moldova's political landscape.