Moldovan journalists, together with investigators from 10 other European countries and the United States, exposed the Russian strategy of influencing the country. Obviously, the Kremlin developed it about two years ago, in 2021.

The document is called “Strategic goals of Russia in the Republic of Moldova”. The investigators noted that attempts to implement a number of points on it could be traced in the public narrative of some political forces oriented towards Russia.

The source who handed over the plan to journalists is completely sure that the document is real.

Note! The strategy defines 2030 as the “deadline” for taking Moldova under political control and distancing it from Western partners.

What did the Russian Strategy of influence on Moldova envisage?

The strategy has three main directions: military-political, economic and humanitarian. Its goals are:

1. opposition to the influence of NATO and the EU on Moldova;
2. involvement of Moldova in the CSTO and other international projects under the auspices of Russia;
3. “settlement of the Transnistrian conflict” mediated by Russia on the basis of the special status of Transnistria;
4. strengthening pro-Russian sentiments in society through informational influence and educational programs, counteracting “Romanization”.

Were military intervention planned?

It follows from the document that there were no plans for military intervention in Russia at that time. The goal was to put pressure on Moldova because of the Transnistrian issue.

The Kremlin's plans included supporting pro-Russian political forces in Moldova and exploiting the country's dependence on Russian imports, in particular gas, to achieve political goals. the investigation says.

It is noted that for the latter it was planned to maintain the existing volumes of gas supplies.

The Kremlin hoped to support significant exports of Russian goods to Moldova and lobby for the interests of enterprises from Transnistria and the autonomy of Gagauzia, where pro-Russian sentiments are very strong.

Controlling the media and discrediting NATO

To expand its informational influence, Russia wanted to prevent restrictions on its resources (which ultimately failed, since the Moldovan authorities closed 6 TV channels in 2022), as well as create a network of public organizations loyal to itself.

They planned to discredit NATO among the inhabitants of Moldova until 2025. The same medium-term goal was defined as “counteracting the expansionist policy of Romania in Moldova,” the investigation says.

Until 2030, the Kremlin hoped to increase the number of Russian media, maintain the status of the language of interethnic communication in Russian, and “reduce the presence of third-country currencies” in settlements with Russia.

“The goal is not to cunningly annex the country, but to strengthen the pro-Russian influence in Moldova, primarily to prevent pro-NATO, pro-European tendencies. The Kremlin sees Moldova as a Russian-oriented buffer rather than part of the Russian empire,” the journalists quoted an intelligence source as saying. Moldova. .