In a joint statement, the United States, Britain and Canada accused Russia on Thursday, June 13, 2024, of carrying out a plot to influence the outcome of the Moldovan presidential election in October.
“We are taking this step to warn our democratic partners and Allies that Russian actors are carrying out a plot to influence the outcomes of Moldova’s fall 2024 presidential election,” it said.
The three countries warned that Russian actors “intend to incite protests in Moldova should a pro-Russia candidate not win.”
The statement said that Russia was seeking to exacerbate societal tensions and foment negative perceptions of the West and the incumbent team of Moldova’s pro-Western President Maia Sandu, using disinformation and online propaganda.
It added that Russian actors are “spreading lies about the incumbent President’s character and intentions, and about supposed electoral irregularities” and intend to whip up protests.
The US, UK and Canada noted in the statement that they are working with Moldovan authorities and sanctioning those behind the attempted interference.
“By revealing the Kremlin’s plot, we are making it clear to Moscow that we stand for free and fair elections and will not tolerate its attempts to meddle and undermine democratic processes,” the statement read.
The breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria, which has Russian troops stationed in it, borders Ukraine.
The joint statement by the US, UK and Canada accuses Russia of “consistently” attempting to “influence, subvert, and undermine democratic elections in order to secure results favorable to the Kremlin.”
The three G7 nations are “stand firmly against persistent Kremlin attempts to use disinformation, criminal and covert activities, and corruption to undermine sovereignty and democratic processes,” the statement reads.
It added, “The Kremlin relies on lies, deceit, corruption and disinformation to undermine sovereignty and democracy. While democracy thrives on openness and truth-telling, authoritarianism and disinformation depend on secrecy and deception.”
UK Announces New Russia Sanctions Targeting Putin’s ‘Shadow Fleet’
Prior to the joint statement issue, the UK announced that it will target ships in Vladimir Putin’s shadow fleet with new sanctions to support Ukraine as part of co-ordinated action with G7 partners.
The 50 new sanctions are the UK’s first to target vessels in Putin’s shadow fleet, which Russia uses to circumvent UK and G7 sanctions to trade in Russian oil, PA Media reports Downing Street as saying.
Suppliers of munitions, machine tools and logistics based in China, Israel, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey that support Russia’s military production are also among those sanctioned, Downing Street said.
The sanctions also take aim at the Moscow Stock Exchange and other institutions at the heart of Russia’s financial system.
The US designated the Moscow Stock Exchange on June 12, 2024.
“The UK will always stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine in its fight for freedom,” UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, stated.
“Today we are once more ramping up economic pressure through sanctions to bear down on Russia’s ability to fund its war machine. Putin must lose, and cutting off his ability to fund a prolonged conflict is absolutely vital.”
Rishi Sunak
Moreover, Sunak committed to providing £242m to Ukraine for the immediate humanitarian, energy and stabilisation needs and to lay the foundations for longer term economic and social recovery and reconstruction.
He and other G7 leaders are also seeking to agree on a mechanism that will allow profits stemming from immobilised Russian sovereign assets to be used to support Ukraine.
About $285bn (£222bn) worth of immobilised Russian assets are held in G7 jurisdictions.
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