Moldova says its citizens were trained in Russia to stage riots

By Alexander Tanas

CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldovan police said on Thursday they had uncovered a programme in which hundreds of its citizens were brought to Russia to undergo training to stage riots and civil unrest, the latest in a slew of meddling allegations ahead of Sunday's election.

The police said earlier this month that Russia-backed crime groups had bribed a swathe of voters and plotted to disrupt this weekend's presidential election and referendum on the country's European Union membership aspirations, going as far as a plan to seize state buildings.

Russia, which accuses the pro-Western government of fomenting "Russophobia", has denied meddling in Moldova, which accelerated its push to leave Moscow's orbit after Russia's full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in February 2022.

Moldovan police told a news conference that law enforcement agencies believed a group linked to fugitive pro-Kremlin businessman Ilan Shor had organised the training to stage unrest.

"The anti-corruption prosecutor's office is currently conducting an investigation into several criminal cases related to the preparation of mass disturbance in the interests of the criminal community," prosecutor Victor Furtuna said.

Shor, who is under U.S. sanctions for alleged election interference on behalf of Russia, denies wrongdoing or being a Russian political proxy.

Authorities said people had been regularly taken in groups of about 20 to undergo training in Russia since June.

Recently, more than 300 young people from Moldova have visited Russia. The stated intention was cultural events, when in fact they visited camps where they received instructions for riots in Moldova, national police chief Viorel Cernauteanu said.

Some of those people were trained in camps associated with private military companies on the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Serbia, he said.

Four Moldovan citizens who participated have been detained, he added.

Officials said they could only provide limited information due to their ongoing investigation. Police said it had obtained evidence of the criminal group's connection with Shor's party, which has been banned.

Shor this year offered to pay people to persuade other people to vote "No" in the referendum and to back a rival to the incumbent, Maia Sandu.

(Reporting by Alexander Tanas; Writing by Max Hunder and Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Gareth Jones, Mark Potter and Sharon Singleton)