Newsletters
Serbian authorities arrested two individuals Friday on charges of conducting combat training for protesters ahead of Moldova's parliamentary elections, escalating tensions over alleged Russian interference in the former Soviet republic's democratic process.
The suspects, identified only by their initials and birth years, are accused of organizing and financing anti-police tactical training near Loznica, a town in western Serbia close to the Bosnian border. Police said the training program ran from July 16 to September 12 and involved between 150 and 170 Moldovan and Romanian nationals.
The arrests follow escalating accusations from Moldovan President Maia Sandu, who has alleged that Russia is paying "hundreds of people" to destabilize her country before Sunday's crucial vote. On Monday, Moldovan authorities detained 74 people connected to what they described as a protester training program based in Serbia.
According to investigators, the alleged scheme aimed to train young Moldovans in tactics for confronting police during protests, part of what Moldovan officials characterize as a broader Russian effort to undermine the election.
During searches of the suspects' residence, Serbian police seized laptops, mobile phones and a radio-frequency tracking device. One suspect was also found in possession of a handgun, authorities said.
The two face potential charges of organizing participation in war or armed conflict in a foreign state under Serbian law.
The allegations highlight Moldova's precarious position as a small nation of 2.6 million people situated between war-torn Ukraine and European Union member Romania. Moldovan officials have repeatedly warned of Russian interference campaigns targeting the country's pro-Western trajectory.
The case also underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Balkans, where Serbia maintains its status as an EU membership candidate while preserving close ties with the Kremlin. Unlike most European nations, Serbia has refused to impose sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in Feb. 2022.
Moldova's parliamentary elections on Sunday are viewed as a critical test of the country's democratic institutions amid ongoing regional instability and competing geopolitical influences.
3 min read
