Putin plans to take Moldova back by 2030, dossier shows

RUSSIA plans to effectively take control of Moldova by the end of the decade, a leaked Kremlin document reveals.

Moscow drew up a detailed plan to bring the former Soviet nation into its orbit by 2030, several European media outlets and the Dossier Centre, an investigationary group, funded by Russia’s former richest man Mikhail Khodorkovsky, reported yesterday.

The plan to infiltrate the country’s politics and media landscape would have meant Russia dominated national affairs without having to launch an invasion.

Moldova is not part of Nato, and prorussian separatists control the breakaway state of Transnistria. The memo, drawn up in 2021, reveals Moscow’s fears that the election of pro-western president Maia Sandu the year before was pulling the country out of its reach.

The Kremlin planned to deploy intelligence officers and “agents of influence”, as well as use the media, to foster pro-russian views.

By 2025, Moscow hoped it would have a “sustainable system of organisational, financial, legal and information support of NGOS [non-governmental organisations] friendly to Russia”.

By 2030, the Kremlin would effectively have Moldova under its control as the country would have joined Russia-centred Eurasian Economic Union.

Moscow was also hoping to “neutralise” Moldova’s efforts to kick out Russia’s military base from Transnistria.

Moldovan authorities have not commented on the memo, but its prime minister said it confirmed fears that the Kremlin has been using Russian state TV to brainwash his citizens.