Russia is constantly flooding the information field of Moldova with propaganda against Ukraine, forming a negative attitude among Moldovans toward Ukrainians and Ukrainian military forces. Experts from the Laboratory for Research and Information Analysis have identified large-scale disinformation campaigns in Moldova, which included Russian media and media resources of Moldovan oligarchs.
“In fact, during this period of 2024, the main part of all messages that were passed through media, through online media, social media, were concentrated around the group, like the stench (Russians – Ed.) virishavali. One of them, more often than not, is trying to discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the residents of Moldova, the Ukrainian government and, first of all, the Western forces of Ukraine. The clichés of “fascists”, “Nazis” etc. are constantly expanding,” said the head of Labia’s board of directors, Igor Karpechenko.
Content analysis carried out by experts showed that in the pro-Russian online media of Moldova, about 15% are dedicated to Ukraine’s guilt, and half of them are dedicated to the Ukrainian theme and war. On social media, the statistics are quite different – more than half of the content is dedicated to Ukraine and the war.
Representatives of the “Laboratory for Research and Information Analysis” emphasized that in Moldova in 2022 they began to fight the channels of widespread disinformation, but Russian propaganda is being undermined by The information field is bordered by bypass routes. The Russians are being helped by the media of Moldovan politicians and other opposition forces, the protection of the fugitive Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor, who is in Moscow, and the Gagauz businessman Viktor Petrov. With this method of Russian propaganda it is possible to recruit close to a million Moldovans.
In 2024, experts found that two large-scale disinformation campaigns were carried out on the topic of obtaining Moldovan chemistry before earning money to transport biomaterials from American laboratories in Ukraine and placement of approaching F-16s at Moldovan airfields for their deployment in the airy expanse of Ukraine.
The start of the campaign was launched from anonymous sites or accounts on social media, which spread fakes. A year before the broadcast, affiliated Moldovan sites and Russian experts were connected to the news. Previously, Russian snakes have seen this kind of misinformation as guaranteed information, publicized by “reliable agents.”
The Moldavian investigative journalist notes that a significant part of Russian propaganda is consumed through hundreds of anonymous telegram channels, and the rest through accounts on Tik-Tok. These actions were created after Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, although it was largely bought up by Russia and the oligarch Ilan Shor.
One of these is “Mamaliga and Tokana”, created in 2019. They have recently learned about Russian connections and the financial misdeeds of oligarch Elon Shor. And in the fall of 2022, when there were large-scale pro-Russian protests in Chisinau, “Mamaliga and Tokana” began to expand their attacks on the corruption of Shor and the Russian Federation.
ADVICE: Russian disinformation about Ukraine in information field of Moldova
“Our flagship, Shor, began to buy up everything that was sold on the Moldovan media market. Websites, telegram channels. "Mamaliga and Tokana" is just one of the rich ones. This is Shor's media war with Moldova. Shor would like to discredit Maya Sanda and this order, and Moscow’s goal is to overthrow this order and set up a warlock to Ukraine,” explains Bezhan.
Propaganda is also spread directly through the Russian embassy in Chisinau. From now until September 2024, in the department's telegram channel, around 40% of all publications were anti-Ukrainian.
The expert said that the activities of the embassy are partly a well-thought-out information campaign, which has a number of goals: to create a negative image of Ukraine, to strengthen anti-foreign sentiments and promote Pro-Russian views among the residents of Moldova.
Embassy of Vikorist Telegram is not deprived of news, but manipulation of a huge thought. According to the words of TV journalist and representative of the state organization "Laboratory for tracking and information analysis" Mikhail Panayotov, through the information on his channel Russia there will be an image of a "guardian at the end" and imposing the idea Ukraine as a threat to their neighbors.
The expert has seen a number of key topics that the embassy consistently raises in its propaganda:
Ukraine is an aggressor. They are portrayed as a careless and terrorist power.
The idea of "Nazism". Ukraine is called “Nazi” and “Zagoda’s puppet.”
"Humanitarian mission" of Russia. Russia portrays itself as a rebel against “invading aggression.”
Historical unity. There is an emphasis on the “living past” of Russia and Ukraine.
Criticism of Ukraine. We will vigorously strengthen the social and economic difficulties in the region.
The goal of such actions is to feed into the public opinion, formulate distrust towards Ukraine and the West and create hostility that Russia is the only force that can “seize” the region.
