Moldova's ambassador has warned that Russia is allegedly pouring up to €300 million into efforts to influence the Moldovan elections scheduled for September 28th. The ambassador, Chirilă, described the situation as a "total hybrid war against Moldova," detailing tactics that include vote-buying in the diaspora, illegal call centers, the "Taito" app for data harvesting, cash couriers, cryptocurrency, and micro-loans from Russian banks, as well as support from pro-Moscow clergy and parties. This warning was issued within the reporting window. Ambassador Chirilă highlighted a range of alleged Russian interference methods aimed at swaying the outcome of the upcoming elections. These tactics, as outlined by the ambassador, encompass financial inducements for diaspora voters, the operation of illicit call centers, and the deployment of the "Taito" application to collect personal data from Moldovan citizens. Additionally, the report details the use of cash couriers, digital currencies, and micro-loans facilitated by Russian banks, alongside backing from religious figures and political entities aligned with Moscow. While the new sources focus on Moldovan elections, previous reports from this period indicated that French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Macron, intend to present photographic and scientific evidence in an American court to refute claims made by influencer Candace Owens. Furthermore, Lithuania confirmed the complete dismantling of its cross-border power lines to Russia's Kaliningrad region, severing the final electrical ties to Russia and Belarus that had existed for 65 years.
