I signaled yet in 2018 that ‘Moldova is a testing ground for Russian interference to be used in the US’ (Buzzfeed). President Sandu signaled the idea in 2022 interview to Applebaum et al; PM et al in 2024. Indeed multiple signals = western support remains CRUCIAL for Moldova

https://twitter.com/cristiancantir/status/1901380496069693638

2. Fyi: 2022 Moldova President interviews for The Atlantic about multiple Russian interferences to then be reused for post-Soviet space, but as I pointed out in my 2018 the biggest prize wasn’t the ex-USSR but turning the US.

anneapplebaum.com/2022/08/15/whe…

Claude Malhuret, Senator of France perception of the USA & Trump’s administration 👇

https://twitter.com/volodimirzelen1/status/1897246348191391926

2. A lose, but still a slightly closer translation of this video than the original: “Washington has become Nero’s court, with an incendiary emperor, submissive courtiers and a boufon high on ketamine, in charge of public functions.

1/n I'm now on JurnalTVMoldova (in Romanian) to discuss #Russia attempt to generate a humanitarian gas crisis in #Moldova . I'll post later a thread with some points I made abt this articifial crisis & the Moldovan response to it ahead of 2025 elections👇
jurnaltv.md/page/live 2. I'm ex-Moldovan negotiator, between 2002-2004, of the Transnistrian conflict, acting as 2nd negotiator, after the Moldovan chief negotiator, the Reintegration Minister. These negotiations last for 33 years and some of us call them "negotiations for the sake of negotiations"

Unsurprisingly, after disconnecting its proxy transnistrian region in #Moldova from gas with the hope to create a humanitarian crisis in MLD & #Ukraine , then Gazprom refusing to send gas via another pipeline, #Russia blames #Moldova & #Ukraine️ for it 🤷‍♂️
tvrmoldova.md/article/467601… 2. More precisely “the West is to blame” the Russians try to allege (again). The fact that the Kremlin chose to refuse an alternative delivery route is, ofc, conveniently overlooked. This artificial Kremlin made crisis shows it’s not about the protection of Russian speakers…

#Romania Presidential elections first round, 93.52% of electoral reports counted, apparently the votes in Bucharest & of course in diaspora are not yet counted. These are huge constituencies, so 7% of reports can still bring some changes 2. Just fyi & for comparison vs Romania proper, here’s how diaspora from #Romania voted - this is the voting pattern at total (Ro+diaspora) 98.29% of electoral reports counted. Still to come, as US & Canada West coast continue to vote for another 2hrs+.

#Moldova elections & referendum to join #EU - since I live in New York, US, makes more sense to reiterate some earlier points & add new ones - what is happening & what is REALLY at stake, aside from the obvious. At 18:05hrs (6.05PM US EST) the turnout is 48.81% (a developing 🧵) 2. For comparison, at the end of the 2020 Presidential elections the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) registered a total of 1348719 casted votes. In 2024, with the elections continuing, we already have a higher number and counting. The vote continues till 9pm local timeS!

@ForeignPolicy continues the “trend” of relying on #Russia analysts on ex-USSR, this time on #Moldova ahead of Presidential elections & referendum to join #EU … A Russian perspective is useful, but I’d love to see important alternatives/pts below (👇🧵)

foreignpolicy.com/2024/10/16/mol… 2. Moldovan President, by Constitution, has to renounce its party membership and in a semi-parliamentary system is not a major decision maker - unless backed by a party in the Parliament & its Government, which is the case now via PAS party she previously led.

I was asked about #Ukraine peace plan last week. I wanted to point out to #Russia option in “worst case” to temporarily freeze/slow down the war, like in 2014 Ukraine or 1992 in #Moldova to then unfreeze it at more favorable times as in #Georgia or Checnya
dw.com/uk/u-zelenskog… 2. Russia signals of “being ready to negotiate” should therefore be considered in the light of its previous MO of freezing conflicts to reopen them later, rather than genuine desire to solve them - that is also contradicted by prior statements and other actions.

Last fall a couple from #Moldova painted the stars of David in #France, in an FSB op to destabilize the country during Israel war on Hamas. Now it’s repeated w “French solders to come back in coffins from #Ukraine ” = FSB activated its EastEuropean assets

zdg.md/stiri/minister…

https://twitter.com/mihaipopsoi/status/1799425725327614432

2. #Russia with its security services more constrained in Europe now, activates its proxy assets in #Moldova the 2nd time to attempt to destabilize #France again. These FSB moves previously amplified by Ru Doppleganger network were 1st reported in 2023:

https://x.com/vladlupan/status/1765791852031025660?s=46&t=KKTdYpR_sgE7kTlVn4E4yA

https://twitter.com/vladlupan/status/1765791852031025660

As ex-negotiator with #Russia in #Moldova & intl mediator in #Georgia, I see a number of problems with recent article on #Ukraine negotiations - from data interpretation & perceptions to causal effects. Reasons why Charap’s prior analysis was so criticized foreignaffairs.com/ukraine/talks-… 2. Due to lack of time, I will try to post my observations throughout the day. So, this is a developing thread. And as many of my concerns have been already covered by others, my observations may come too late. Still, kindly bear with me throughout this developing thread.

A new development with #Russia planned "coup" in #Modova is that Pres. Putin cancelled ONE of the decrees that among other recognized MLD territorial integrity. That happened after Kremlin coup in MLD failed, as #Ukraine intercepted it &Moldova stopped it
newsweek.com/moldova-russia… 2. As we know #Russian attempt to destabilize #Moldova did not work. #Ukraine President Zelensky announced that its country intercepted the plans. As experts saw, the Kremlin is now trying to use its proxies, sympathizers etc to destabilize the situation

https://twitter.com/VladLupan/status/1626957457208578049?s=20

#Russia FSB coup in #Moldova didn’t work. So, now the pro-Russian Gagauz Autonomy led by a colleague of the former Kremlin proxy, is pushing the narrative that their autonomy will be abolished, thus opening ground for disagreement with MLD proper & conflict. Smells of FSB to me.

https://twitter.com/keith_h96/status/1626884911293407234

2. Gagauz Autonomy, inhabited by Turkic Christians, obtained autonomy after USSR breakdown as #Moldova agreed to it as a part of a conflict resolution deal. Gagauz were geared towards Moscow & supported the 1991 coup vs Gorbi & requested independence then.
mei.edu/publications/a…

I was interviewed yesterday by @TimesRadio abt latest #Russia prep for a coup in #Moldova. This intelligence was intercepted by #Ukraine, announced by President Zelensky at #EU six days ago & dealt with by MLD, see my replies at min 2:31
link via @JP1958S
2. 👆show covered 2 topics - ammo shortage in Ukraine & developments in Moldova, next to Ukraine, as Kyiv helped defuse the situation, although attempts to "turn" Moldova happened before via Ru political proxies such as ex-President Dodon&his SVR handlers
dossier.center/mld/

Amid its war on #Ukraine & threats of starving #Africa on purpose to impact #Europe , #Russia is organizing its traditional 2022 St Petersburg Economic Forum with many propaganda events on #Turkey, "food security", cyber, info warfare & NB! FAKE NEWS etc:
forumspb.com/en/programme/b… 2. In 2017 StP Economic Forum in #Russia Putin invited then President of #Moldova to attend w him & Narendra Modi. This gives you the insight into Putin's political support & (a partial) importance he gives to Moldova. This support continues in 2022 (next)
balkaninsight.com/2017/06/06/mol…

@CharlesTannock @KyivIndependent Nobody "enforces" anything, Interpol is no one's boss, there is a warrant that Belarus put into Interpol's ststem, Moldova must do preliminary detention, not arrest, don't freak out. After detention this is brought up to Interpol special team. If found to be targeted unjustly @CharlesTannock @KyivIndependent 2. ... if Interpol finds the warrant as unjust, it is cancelled. Even USA & EU had to do the preliminary detention, then sort it out. Be smart, don't hit the friendlies, look at the core of the problem - who issued the warrant & who is misusing the Interpol system! @Billbrowder

1. #Moldova to give a 5y environmental certificate to #Russia owned Rybnitsa steelworks in "separatist" Kremlin controlled region. MLD Environment Minister recognizes that's a trade off to get cheaper electric from another Russian power station there (2)
paranteze.md/news/flash-uzi… 2. Sadly #Moldova signs another contract w #Russia RAO UES Cuciurgan power station, located in pro-Russian "separatist" region - that station consumes "Moldovan" gas from Ru, thus maintaining MLD dependency on Ru gas & increasing MLD gas debt to Russia...
realitatea.md/iuliana-cantar…

Liudmyla Monastyrska from #Ukraine emerged in the Ukrainian flag at the end of Saturday #NY Met. Opera "Turandot" performance. She replaced Anna Netrebko, from #Russia "whom the company dropped over her past support" of President Putin @nytimes reports.
nytimes.com/2022/05/01/art… 2. In fairness, @guardian previously reported that soprano from #Russia Netrebko condemns war in #Ukraine but Met says it’s not enough - Netrebko previously voiced pro-Kremlin views & in 2014 posed with a rebel flag in the contested Donetsk region...
theguardian.com/music/2022/mar…

On 27 Apr 2022, as explosions were heard in #Russia controlled "separatist" region of Moldova & Kremlin used them to blame #Ukraine , #US congress voted a resolution to support MLD independence, territorial integrity & strengthen #USA #Molodva relations
congress.gov/bill/117th-con…

https://twitter.com/nicupopescu/status/1519998318151192577

1May2022 update - after recent explosions in #Moldova "separatist" #Russia controlled region of "transnistria", signaling a possible local extension of struggle for influence in Moscow, local Russian leaderships asks again for recognition & separation. (2)
ziarulnational.md/tiraspolul-cer…

Today's thread of updates from #Moldova explosions in #Russia controlled "separatist" Transnistrian region near #Ukraine
- 3 confirmed explosions
- RusMFA threats & blame of #Ukraine
- MLD Govt assessment it's internal separatist war-party, conflicting similar explosions in Ru

https://twitter.com/VladLupan/status/1518943837376425986

#Moldova v.brief update 27 Apr 2022 : shots were heard near Cobasna weapons depot housing ~20.000MetricTons of #Russia munitions in the "separatist" region Ru supports. MLD Govt stated shots were fired nearby in #Ukraine not Cobasna, as the border is near.
tvrmoldova.md/politic/trei-f…

A Bloomberg reporter abt FSB planning public executions after #Ukraine takover. People, who never followed #Russia, react in disbelief. Yet, during Chechen wars Russia tortured & executed civilians, rebels. Ru army solders & officers freely recognized their Bespredel (next tweet)

https://twitter.com/kitty_donaldson/status/1499381363010682881

2. Russian officers in Chechnya “What rules? What Geneva Conventions? What difference does it make if Russia has signed them?” said a 25-year-old army officer. “I didn’t sign them, none of my friends signed them. . . . In Russia, these rules don’t work.”
latimes.com/archives/la-xp…

#Moldova election day, July 11 - about 48.28% of the registered voters have exercised their right to elect by 21.43hrs in the Republic of Moldova and abroad. This is a considerably lower percentage than during Presidential elections: 2. The approximate distribution by gender and age of the voters in #Modova elections today (as it was recorded at 21.43hrs Moldovan time) is aprox 54% women voters and aprox. 45% men.