Unites States sanctions three entities, two private people involved in Russia's destabilizing actions in Moldova

Chisinau, 14 September /MOLDPRES/ - The United States has imposed sanctions against three entities and two private people who have connections with Russia’s destabilizing actions abroad, including continuous efforts of undermining the democracy and of interference with the electoral process in Moldova. The actions were announced by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to a statement by the Embassy of the USA in Moldova.  

The U.S. Department of State announced sanctions against NO Evrazia and Nelli Alekseyevna Parutenko for the support provided to ‘’efforts of malign influence’’ of fugitive oligarch Ilan Shor, who is on the list of sanctions of the United States. The Embassy of the USA says that, under the leadership of Parutenko, ANO Evrazia implemented a plan of influencing the future elections in Moldova. ‘’ANO Evrazia orchestrated a scheme, through which it transferred money to Moldova, under the pretext of ‘’humanitarian assistance’’; in reality, this money was meant for a campaign of buying votes for the pro-Kremlin candidates, thus undermining the democracy from Moldova,’’ reads the Statement by the E.S. Embassy in Chisinau.     

The Department of State of the USA also imposed sanctions against the state broadcasting agency, Rossiya Segodnya, the mother company of RT, of the organization associated to it, TV-Novosti, as well as against the director general of Rossiya Segodnya, Dmitry Konstantinovich Kiselev.

„According to new information, many of which come from employees of the Russian state agency RT (former Russia Today), we know now that RT is not just a mere media institution. It acquired cyber capacities and is also involved in activities of intelligence, secret intelligence and operations of influence, as well as in military procurements. These operations regard countries from all over the world, including from Europe, Africa and the North and South America,’’ the statement by the Embassy of the United States in Moldova also reads.    

At the same time, the USA says that it backs the free circulation of the information. ‘’We do not take measures against these entities for the content of their reports or even for the misinformation which they create and publicly spread. We act against them because of their secret activities of influence,’’ the Statement also reads.  

According to the declaration, the efforts under cover of the Russian government to get involved in subversive activities and electoral interferences concerning Moldova include the involvement of the RT staff in the providing of direct support to Shor during more years, with the agreement of the Russian government. ‘’By using its extended capacities, RT will almost surely coordinate with the Russian intelligence services, in order to try to manipulate in favour of Moscow the result of the presidential elections from Moldova, due in October 2024,’’ the quoted source reads.     

The USA displays confidence in Moldova’s authorities, in their capacity to manage these threats related to Kremlin’s interference. Also, the United States takes a string of measures, including the sanctions announced, in order to support Moldova’s efforts to protect the integrity of the elections. ‘’We will continue to cooperate closely with the government of Moldova, in order to back the democracy and the people,’’ the Statement by the U.S. Embassy in Moldova also reads.