Moldova 2025 elections: Kremlin’s Digital Army, AI bots, and minors exploited by Pro-Russian parties

Context.ro discovered 2,000 toxic clips and 100 accounts generated by artificial intelligence to inflate Russian disinformation about the elections in Moldova. Two pro-Russian politicians have set up a scheme to exploit minors for political purposes, and a group of analysts signals the deployment of several election influence operations orchestrated by Moscow or forces friendly to Russia. 

Additionally, an undercover investigation reveals how the Kremlin’s vast digital army operates and how it promoted a former far-right candidate in neighboring Romania’s 2024 presidential election

The Kremlin’s Digital Army: “Paid directly from Moscow”

Hundreds of fake identity accounts run by activists of the “Victorie” Bloc, controlled by Ilan Shor from Moscow, were created to spread Russian propaganda on TikTok and Facebook with the aim of influencing Moldova’s upcoming election. The social media posts were rigorously monitored, and communication was coordinated through secret Telegram groups and channels, according to an investigation by Ziarul de Garda. The influence campaign, in which those posting were trained online by a team of Russian-speaking curators, aims to unseat the pro-Western government and derail the country’s path toward European Union membership. 

For several months, the so-called „communication-responsible activists” were trained to game social media algorithms, to achieve the greatest impact for posts that pushed anti-European propaganda and narratives aligned with Russian propaganda.

sursa foto: Ziarul de Gardă

Although initially there was no discussion of payments for these activities, later, from among the most diligent activists of the Șor network, a detachment of mercenaries paid directly from Moscow was selected.

Read the full investigation here.

Calin Georgescu promoted by the Kremlin’s “Digital Army”

The fake accounts uncovered in the sprawling network also promoted Calin Georgescu, the former presidential candidate in Romania’s presidential election, who is under criminal investigation for forming or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or antisemitic groups. 

sursa foto: Ziarul de Gardă

After Georgescu was detained in Romania in February, the accounts run by participants in the network’s special “InfoLider,” project were promised payments “directly from Moscow” for posting pro-Georgescu propaganda.

You can read the full material here.

AI bots inflate Russian disinformation on TikTok 

TikTok in Moldova is flooded with clips generated by artificial intelligence intended to convince users that the Orthodox religion is under attack by the European Union, that the results of the upcoming elections will be canceled, and that the state is actively working against Moldovan citizens.

Context.ro discovered over 100 TikTok accounts that have published 2,000 Russian propaganda clips. A new development is that dozens of accounts publish content almost exclusively produced with the help of AI.

An internal analysis shows that the Russian Federation has a network, called Matryoshka, that specifically deals with the production of AI video content.

Read the full investigation here.

Pro-Russian parties accused of exploiting minors in political campaigns

Moldovan minors are being exploited more frequently by pro-Russian parties for political purposes ahead of Moldova’s parliamentary election. After the Heart of Moldova Party of pro-Russian Irina Vlah used under-18s as coffinbearers in front of the Presidency, two other Moscow-affiliated groups were observed using children in their political campaigns.

According to NordNews.md, the “Greater Moldova” parties of Victoria Furtună, a former prosecutor in RM, and „Future of Moldova,” led by former Prime Minister Vasile Tarlev, are openly involving minors in political agitation activities, openly violating electoral law.

sursa foto: nordnews.md

Tarlev, with the help of the president of the National Union of Students and Youth of Moldova, or UNSTM, reportedly created a mechanism for involving minors in political activities, including distributing posters and leaflets, and participating in electoral actions often disguised as cultural activities.

UNSTM also allegedly organized trips to Russia for its members, including minors, during which the attendees participated in ideological trainings, paid for by an NGO led by the former accountant of Moldova’s outlawed ȘOR Party.

Read the full investigation here.

Inskt Group Report: Russian Influence Operations Converge on Moldovan Elections

Inskt Group has documented multiple Russian influence operations that aim to discredit Moldova’s pro-Western President Maia Sandu and the ruling Party of Action and Solidarity ahead of the September election.

Much of the campaign frames Moldova’s current leadership as corrupt and contrary to Moldova’s interests. The networks were identified as: Operation Overload, Operation Undercut, Foundation to Battle Injustice, Portal Kombat, and various other Russian influence assets.

Read the full report here.