Maia Sandu accuses Russia of trying to turn the Republic of Moldova into a “second Belarus”

President of the Republic of Moldova Maia Sandu stated at the Security Forum that Russia had tried to turn the country into a “second Belarus” and use its territory against Ukraine and the European Union. According to the head of state, citizens thwarted this plan through their vote and supported continuing along the European path.

Maia Sandu warned that threats from Moscow continue through violations of airspace, attacks on infrastructure, and propaganda campaigns. In the last seven days alone, nine Russian drones are reported to have entered the airspace of the Republic of Moldova, while more than 20 similar incidents have been reported since September.

The president said that attacks on Ukraine had caused pollution of the Dniester and affected power lines, with repercussions for the Republic of Moldova. She described the situation as a war reaching the country “through the air, through the water, and through the power grids”.

Sandu also accused Moscow of a “cognitive war” aimed at discrediting Chișinău’s defense partnerships and reducing support for modernizing the army. She claimed that Russia had allegedly spent the equivalent of 2% of Moldova’s GDP on influencing the elections.

In this context, the president called for strengthening air defense and European support, stating that joining the European Union is the most important guarantee for the Republic of Moldova’s long-term security.

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