Russian investigative journalists Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan explain how the Kremlin is openly purchasing influence in neighboring countries through a Russian state-controlled bank providing monthly payments to residents in the autonomous region of Gagauzia in Moldova. Aiming to stoke separatism and undermine the country’s pro-Western government as elections approach, Russia opportunistically exploits its financial sanctions workarounds, like the Mir payment system, to conduct subversive operations, representing a return to Soviet-era tactics of using untraceable channels to fund foreign influence activities.
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Russian investigative journalists Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan explain how the Kremlin is openly purchasing influence in neighboring countries through a Russian state-controlled bank providing monthly payments to residents in the autonomous region of Gagauzia in Moldova. Aiming to stoke separatism and undermine the country’s pro-Western government as elections approach, Russia opportunistically exploits its financial sanctions workarounds, like the Mir payment system, to conduct subversive operations, representing a return to Soviet-era tactics of using untraceable channels to fund foreign influence activities.