On Sunday, Moldova held pivotal parliamentary elections that delivered a victory for the pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity (PAS), despite aggressive Kremlin tactics aimed at influencing the election in its favor. Russia’s interference in Moldova’s elections evolved into a multi-layered hybrid campaign—combining digital, financial, political, and paramilitary tools—reflecting its broader strategy to destabilize adversaries while staying just below the threshold of open military conflict. Russia has often reserved — and refined — its most assertive tactics in post-Soviet countries like Moldova, using them as proving grounds before adapting similar methods against the wider Western world. Moldova’s success in resisting Kremlin interference likely stemmed from its ability not only to foil Russian operations consistently but also to be transparent and vocal about doing so –– an approach other states must consider if they hope to counter Russian hybrid tactics effectively.
Winning the Battle, Not the War: Moldova’s Fight Against the Kremlin’s Hybrid Arsenal (The Soufan Center)
Related articles
