Less than a week after European parliamentarians blasted Russia for its "provocations and attempts to destabilize" Moldova ahead of a crucial presidential election and referendum on European Union membership, the bloc has sanctioned five people and one legal entity for similar actions.
Foreign ministers from the EU's 27 members on October 14 approved restrictive measures on the six culprits it identified, including Evghenia Gutul, the Russian-backed leader of Moldova's autonomous region of Gagauzia.
Evrazia, a Russian-based NGO that promotes Russian interests, and its founder, Nelli Parutenco, were also sanctioned.
"Moldova faces massive direct attempts from Russia to destabilize the country, as well as challenges arising from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, said in a statement.
"This is a direct threat to a sovereign country, to its democratic life, to its path toward the European Union. The EU will continue providing all its support to the legitimate aspirations of the Moldovan people. Today's listings are yet another contribution to the resilience of Moldova."
The new sanctions, which come before an October 20 presidential election that has been twinned with a referendum on joining the EU, include asset freezes and travel bans.
Last week, members of the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning "Russia’s escalating malicious activities, interference and hybrid operations" ahead of the balloting.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on October 14 rejected the allegations of meddling in the campaigns.
The two polls are seen as a make-or-break moment for the future of one of Europe's poorest countries, where Russia still wields massive influence and maintains more than 1,000 troops in the separatist Transdniester region, 33 years after Chisinau declared independence from the Soviet Union.
Under the U.S.-educated Sandu, who came to power after defeating Russian-backed incumbent Igor Dodon in 2020, Moldova took an about-turn toward the West, condemning Moscow's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and joining the EU sanctions regime against the Kremlin.
Moldova secured EU candidate status in June 2022 and opened membership negotiations with the bloc earlier this year, steps that prompted Russia to step up attempts to undermine the credibility of Moldova's government and portray Moscow as a better alternative for Chisinau's future.
The National Democratic Institute, a U.S. pro-democracy NGO, recently warned that foreign malign influence from Russia on social media platforms "is the greatest threat to electoral integrity" and recommended that social media companies move to prevent advertising from "sanctioned individuals or their proxies."
U.S. tech giant Meta recently blocked Gutul's social media accounts after qualifying them as “dangerous.”