Moldova expels Russian diplomats for aiding fugitive MP

Tensions between Moldova and Russia ratcheted up on Monday after Moldova's decision to expel three Russian diplomats on Monday.

The Moldovan Foreign Ministry declared the three "persona non grata" and ordered them to leave, saying there was "clear evidence'' of actions that violated their diplomatic responsibilities.

Russia's Foreign Ministry pledged to take retaliatory measures, though it has not specified what those might be.

The expulsions came shortly after Moldova accused the Russian Embassy in Chisinau of helping a pro-Kremlin lawmaker evade a prison sentence. Russian officials have dismissed the accusations as baseless.

Pro-Russian lawmaker's disappearance triggers diplomatic clash

The immediate trigger for Moldova's expulsion of Russian diplomats was the case of Alexander Nesterovschii, a member of parliament aligned with pro-Russian interests.

Nesterovschii was sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison after being convicted of illegally funding a political party linked to Ilan Shor — a fugitive businessman and former lawmaker.

Shor, who fled Moldova after being implicated in one of the country's largest bank fraud scandals, has since aligned himself with Kremlin-friendly causes.

According to regulatory filings, he is believed to have set up intermediary companies — some in partnership with sanctioned entities — to help Russian businesses evade Western financial restrictions. His political network has backed parties accused of undermining Moldova's pro-European trajectory.

Moldovan prosecutors say that Nesterovschii funneled money from Shor-linked sources to influence key political events — including the 2023 local elections, the 2024 presidential race, and a referendum on Moldova's bid to join the European Union.

A day before his sentencing, surveillance footage captured Nesterovschii entering the Russian Embassy in Chisinau.

According to Moldova's Security and Intelligence Service (SIS), he was then transported in a vehicle with diplomatic plates to Transdniestria, a breakaway region under de facto Russian control since the early 1990s.

"This type of activity is part of the mechanism of hybrid aggression directed against the Republic of Moldova,'' said Alexandru Musteata, head of SIS.

The Russian Embassy in Chisinau has rejected the allegations as "unfounded and unacceptable,” dismissing Moldova's response as politically driven.

Moldova accuses Russia of repeated interference

President Maia Sandu condemned what she described as direct interference in Moldova's judicial system.

"Interference by the Russian Federation with the judicial system of the Republic of Moldova is unacceptable,'' she said in a radio interview. "Imagine if Moldova interfered with justice in Russia.''

Moldova's pro-European government has frequently accused Russia of attempts to destabilize the country as it seeks closer ties with the European Union. Moldova aims to join the EU by 2030 and was granted candidate status in 2022.

The diplomatic rift is the latest in a series of clashes between the two nations. In August 2024, Moldova expelled a Russian diplomat over spying allegations.

In July 2023, 45 Russian diplomats were expelled following media reports that the Russian embassy was being used as a base for surveillance operations. Despite these actions, several diplomats with suspected links to Russian intelligence reportedly remained in Moldova. 

Political tensions rise ahead of key elections

The latest diplomatic tensions unfold as Moldova prepares for parliamentary elections this autumn, that will assess the popularity of its pro-European leadership.

Meanwhile, the crackdown on alleged illegal funding linked to pro-Russian interests continues. Authorities recently detained Eugenia Gutul, the governor of Gagauzia, at the border while she allegedly tried to flee the country. She has been placed in 30-day custody. Another lawmaker, Irinna Lozovan, is reportedly evading law enforcement after facing similar charges.

Both Gutul and Lozovan have called the allegations politically charged.

Edited by Richard Connor