Moldova Election Targeted by Extensive Russian Disinformation Campaign Involving Deepfakes and Millions in Funding

Ahead of Moldova's parliamentary elections, a widespread Russian-linked disinformation campaign, utilizing deepfake videos and unsubstantiated accusations, is targeting pro-EU President Maia Sandu and her party. Analysts warn that Moldova has become Moscow's "testing ground" for information warfare in Europe, aiming to influence the crucial vote that will determine the country's geopolitical alignment. The AFP Fact Check team highlighted the online spread of these tactics, which include sophisticated AI-generated content.

The upcoming parliamentary elections are pivotal for Moldova, an EU candidate country of 2.5 million people, as they will decide whether it deepens ties with the European Union or shifts back towards Moscow. President Sandu has accused the Kremlin of "unprecedented interference," alleging that "hundreds of millions of euros" are being poured into the country to buy votes and disseminate disinformation. Her pro-EU party, in power since 2021, currently leads in most polls but faces significant opposition.

Part of the disinformation effort includes a deepfake video, created with Luma AI, depicting President Sandu performing a rap song in Russian, portraying her as an ineffective leader. This content is linked to a Russian-aligned campaign known as Operation Overload or Matryoshka. Other false claims spread online include accusations that Sandu suffers from schizophrenia or that her party has rigged the election, with Russian-language Telegram channels suggesting European leaders intend to use Sandu to initiate a war.

Multiple investigations, including by Antibot4Navalny, the BBC, and Moldovan newspaper Ziarul de Garda, have uncovered extensive Russia-linked disinformation networks. These operations involve Kremlin-aligned Telegram channels, influencers-for-hire on TikTok, and bot accounts on X, some impersonating foreign media. The BBC reported on a secret Russia-funded network, allegedly tied to fugitive pro-Russian politician Ilan Shor, that paid Moldovans to spread propaganda.

Nicolae Tibrigan, a research scientist at the Romanian Academy in Bucharest, stated, "Unfortunately, Moldova has become a testing ground for Kremlin information warfare in Eastern Europe." Experts, such as Corneliu Bjola, Professor of Digital Diplomacy at the University of Oxford, emphasize that the campaign's objective extends beyond manipulating votes to "erode confidence in the democratic process." Meta has confirmed it is monitoring the situation and has disrupted a "vast majority" of identified inauthentic activity, while TikTok has removed content and accounts, including a network of at least 6,790 accounts, attempting to discredit the Moldovan government. Analysts caution that if these tactics succeed in Moldova, they could be deployed across other European democracies.