Moldova Jails Popular Pro-Russian Governor, Outraging The Kremlin

Just over two weeks ago Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) issued a statement accusing the West, under US leadership, of turning Moldova into a military outpost aimed at confronting Russia, akin to what has happened over several years with Ukraine. Moscow has also accused the West of long meddling in the Republic of Georgia with the same purpose in mind.

The SVR’s provocative statement, which came in mid-July said Washington wants to use the country as “cannon fodder” in future hostilities, which is allegedly being fast-tracked by Western foreign policy decision-makers. Now the tiny country with EU aspirations (having been granted candidate status in 2022) is front and center in regional headlines, after a main opposition figure was arrested for alleged Russian-ties related to corruption.

The Kremlin has accused Moldovan authorities of engaging in political persecution after a court sentenced the pro-Russian governor of Moldova’s autonomous Gagauzia region to seven years in prison on Tuesday. Gagauzia’s governor, Evghenia Gutul, is accused of channeling Russian funds to a banned political party.

The government alleges that she transferred Russian money to the outlawed Shor Party between 2019 and 2022, paving the way for deeper ‘Russian influence’ in Gagauzia, a southern Moldovan region made up primarily of Russian-speaking ethnic Turks. 

Gutul, who has rejected the accusations, has appealed for international help – especially in messages to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. She had been under arrest since March 2025, but prior to that reportedly traveled to Moscow to gain the support of Kremlin officials.

She has previously stated, “A fabricated criminal case has been brought against me. The Anti-corruption Prosecutor’s Office, under the influence of (Moldovan President Maia) Sandu, is targeting those who have improved lives in their country, worked for the benefit of the people, and opposed the government’s destructive actions, rather than tackling corruption.”

Today, another court hearing took place in the fabricated criminal case against me — a case that has been political, not legal, from the very beginning. pic.twitter.com/FMtqeeOZ1M

— Evghenia Gutul (@EvgheniaGutul) April 14, 2025

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov blasted the ruling as “clearly politically motivated” as it represents “open and arguably unlawful pressure on political opponents” ahead of Moldova’s parliamentary elections this September.

Peskov added, “We are seeing the systematic suppression of opposition forces in Moldova, essentially stripping voters of the chance to choose freely. It’s clear that democratic standards and principles are being continuously undermined.”

Tensions are soaring, with pro-Gutul protesters taking to the streets, also after Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s recent warning and allegation that Russia was preparing an “unprecedented” campaign to interfere in the small country’s fall elections.

The tiny Eastern European nation bordering Ukraine has experienced the same kind of internal political pro-EU vs. pro-Russia tug of war historically on display in other countries such as Ukraine or Georgia. One thing which has long alarmed the West is the presence of Russian ‘peacekeeping’ troops in Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region. 

As for Transnistria, although it has diverse ethnic demographics almost equally apportioned between Russians, Moldovans, Romanians and Ukrainians, the Russian demographic slightly ekes out its counterparts with a plurality of 29% of Transnistrians belonging to the group. NATO wants to bring Moldova directly into its orbit, and ultimately kick Russian troops out of the region.