Moldovan president says Kremlin used disinformation at parliamentary elections, so as to undermine trust in free voting, subsequently seize power in Moldova

Russia used disinformation at the parliamentary elections in Moldova, in order to undermine trust in free and fair voting and subsequently seize power in Moldova. President Maia Sandu has made statements to this effect at the Paris Peace Forum. According to the head of state, the Kremlin used social networks, in order to bombard Moldovan users with fabricated news, deep fakes and coordinated propaganda.

Maia Sandu noted that ‘’Russian propaganda is not a collection of random posts or loud presenters, but a strategic operation, an orchestrated campaign by an authoritarian regime, in order to distort democracies abroad, erode public trust and rig elections in democratic states.’’

At the same time, according to the official, propaganda does not come alone, but is part of a broader hybrid strategy that goes far beyond disinformation. This is fueled by illegal money and in Moldova's case, it involved even priests turned influencers, who spread pro-Kremlin narratives in churches and on TikTok, stated the head of state.

The president noted that the hybrid war used by authoritarian regimes to undermine democracies combined online manipulation with real-world actions. Under these conditions, the authorities of Moldova have worked to build a media space where facts matter, where journalists can work without fear and where citizens can trust the information they receive.

These actions made it possible that, when Russia's malign influence intensified, the independent press - strengthened and resilient - became the first line of defense.

‘’We have strengthened our legal framework, provided the Audiovisual Council with stronger tools, and in some cases, made tough decisions, in order to suspend channels that misinformed or glorified war. We adopted these measures not to suppress other opinions, but to protect citizens' right to reliable information. Even so, manipulation persists through over three hundred Russian-language TV channels blending entertainment with propaganda, humor with hate, normalizing Russia's aggression against independent states and undermining trust in democracy,’’ said the president.

The head of state pointed out, however, that as the traditional audiovisual space had been strengthened, the front moved to online.

‘’Unlike television, the digital sphere stays largely unregulated. Social media platforms - once a promise of freedom and transparency - have become vast spaces of manipulation. Authoritarian regimes that suppress freedom of expression at home use the same platforms, in order to undermine democracies abroad,’’ said the official.

Thus, at the 2025 parliamentary elections, Russian-controlled networks used Telegram, TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, in order to bombard Moldovan users with fabricated news, deep fakes and coordinated propaganda, with troll farms operating inside Moldova generating tens of millions of views, the president noted.

Maia Sandu also referred to the fact that ‘’a political party, almost non-existent at grassroots level, was suddenly propelled into parliament through a campaign conducted almost exclusively on TikTok.’’ According to her, this should alarm us all, because ‘’what happened in Moldova at the last three elections or in Romania last year can happen anywhere - at national elections or at the next European Parliament elections.’’

The president noted that Moldova's experience showed that states must act together, in order to restore the integrity of the informational space and platforms must observe their own rules and the law.

‘’They must provide real access to data, disclose who pays for amplification, and accept independent audits on political moderation and advertising. We must follow the money. No platform should accept political or advertising payments from sanctioned individuals or entities. If the money is dirty, it cannot be treated as an ordinary transaction. Freedom of expression is for real people — not for armies of bots. Democracies must explicitly exclude false or non-human entities from free speech protections, especially during elections,’’ said the head of state.

Maia Sandu also said that hybrid threats did not stop at the Schengen Area border, and Europe must grow, as EU enlargement is not an act of charity, but of security.

‘’By integrating the democracies on the front line, Europe will become bigger, stronger, and more resilient — capable of defending its democracies, citizens and way of life,’’ concluded the head of state.

President Maia Sandu today participated in the Paris Peace Forum, at an invitation of the President of France Emmanuel Macron. The head of state gave a speech at a meeting dedicated to information integrity and the role of independent media.

The Paris Peace Forum, now in its 8th edition, was launched in 2018 at the initiative of President Emmanuel Macron. The event annually brings together leaders and experts from around the world, in order to discuss solutions to major global challenges — from peace and security to sustainable development and democratic governance.