Moldovan President Maia Sandu has sounded the alarm over what she described as a direct threat to her country’s sovereignty and European trajectory, warning that Russia could use Moldova as a staging ground for an attack on Ukraine’s Odesa region. In an emergency video address to the nation, delivered on September 22, Sandu said that if Moscow’s destabilisation efforts succeed, the consequences would be immediate and severe for both Moldova and the broader region.

“Today I can say with full confidence that the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity, and European future of our country are under threat,” Sandu said. She accused the Kremlin of spending hundreds of millions of euros to buy votes on both banks of the Dniester River and abroad, while bombarding the population with false messages and paying hundreds of people to incite chaos, violence, and fear.

Sandu outlined the potential fallout if Russia were to gain control over Moldova, stressing that “Europe will stop at Moldova’s border,” freedoms of movement could be curtailed, and the country could become a launchpad for military operations against Ukraine. She also warned that the Transnistrian region would be destabilised and that the Kremlin has local accomplices willing to sell out their own country for personal gain. “They do not believe in Russia, nor in Europe - only in money,” Sandu said, urging Moldovans to resist foreign influence and corruption at the ballot box.

The warning came shortly after Moldovan law enforcement carried out more than 250 searches and detained 74 individuals accused of planning mass unrest ahead of the September 28 parliamentary elections. Investigators seized weapons, ammunition, tents, passports, and other materials, identifying a network trained abroad - particularly in Serbia - on firearms, special equipment, and tactics for provoking violence.

Alexandru Musteata, Director of the Moldovan Intelligence and Security Service (SIS), said that the operation was coordinated by Russian intelligence, with agent Andrei Pavlov overseeing sabotage and destabilisation efforts in Moldova. Pavlov, he added, has participated in similar operations across Europe, Asia, and Africa, reportedly collaborating with exiled pro-Kremlin figures such as Ilan Shor. The suspects face prison sentences ranging from four to eight years if convicted.

Sandu’s remarks highlighted the broader geopolitical stakes, emphasizing that Moscow’s interference is aimed at undermining Moldova’s EU ambitions and destabilising its democratic institutions. “The Kremlin thinks we are too small to resist and that our country is just a territory for sale. But Moldova is our home, and our home is not for sale,” she said. The president framed her message as a call to citizens to protect the country’s independence and defend its European future amid a tense pre-election climate.

This comes against a backdrop of growing regional insecurity, following recent incursions into NATO airspace, and reinforces Chisinau’s concerns about Russia’s continued efforts to project power and influence in Eastern Europe. Sandu’s appeal underscores the urgency of vigilance as Moldova heads into critical parliamentary elections and faces potential threats to its stability and sovereignty.