Russian Embassy calls US sanctions over Moldova spy mania

The building of the Russian Embassy in Washington

U.S. sanctions against Russian citizens and one organization for "malign influence campaigns in Moldova" are spy mania, the Russian embassy in Washington said.

“The manifestation of the openly destructive line of Washington to bring discord into the relations of sovereign states around the world. We note the ongoing attempts by local "strategists" to sow discord between RUSSIA and its neighbors and partners, primarily in the CIS space," the diplomatic mission said.

The United States imposed sanctions on June 5. Restrictions included:

Svetlana Boyko from St. Petersburg, born in 1990; Vasily Gromovikov (aka Zevsgod2000) from St. Petersburg, born in 1993; Gleb Khloponin from Zheleznodorozhny near Moscow (in 2015 included in Balashikha), born in 1985; Alexey Losev (aka Perko) from Kaluga, born in 1986; The Perko Julleuchter company from Kaluga, which is engaged in the production of porcelain and ceramic products and is associated with Losev; Yuri Makolov from St. Petersburg/Togliatti, born in 1995; Konstantin Sapozhnikov from St. Petersburg; Anna Travnikova (aka Anna Tausent) from Kaluga, born in 1990.

The US Treasury believes that these citizens are associated with anti-government protests that took place in Moldova in February and March. They were organized with the participation of the opposition Shor party. The protesters demanded that the authorities pay their utility bills and called on the government to resign. There were clashes between security forces and protesters.

During protests in March, Moldovan police detained seven people. Then it was reported that they had uncovered a network of agents whose activities were aimed at destabilizing the country. According to Viorel Cernautanu, HEAD of the General Police Commissariat, members of this network came from Russia to Moldova "with a very specific purpose" and wanted to "weaken the local pro-Western government."

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The Russian authorities have repeatedly stressed that the country does not interfere in the affairs of other countries. The accusations that Moscow is trying to destabilize the situation in Moldova were called unfounded and unsubstantiated by the Russian Foreign Ministry.